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THE  FIRST  YEAR  OF 
THE  LEAGUE  OF  NATIONS 


THE  FIRST  YEAR  OF  THE 
LEAGUE  OF  NATIONS 

WITH  THE  COVENANT  OF  THE  LEAGUE 
OF  NATIONS  IN  AN  APPENDIX 

GEORGE  GRAFTON  WILSON 

PROFESSOR   OF   INTERNATIONAL    LAW 
HARVARD   UNIVBR8ITY 


BOSTON 

LITTLE,  BROWN,  AND  COMPANY 

1921 


Copyright,  1921, 
By  Little,  Brown,  and  Company. 


•  •••        V*'    •••^*««     All  rights  reserved 
'    '  J  •  •  • '  t  •  •  •  *  •  1 1     \   •*♦   *  *• 
W  :'\  /":••*  '::  .••  •'•"•Ihilblislied  March,  1921 


Norivootr  ^rrss 

Set  up  and  electrotyped  by  J.  S.  Gushing  Co., 

Norwood,  Mass.)  U.S.A. 


^*Even  if  this  first  edifice^  which  so  many 
States  have  helped  to  huild,  were  destined 
to  collapse  —  an  impossible  hypothesis  which 
I  must  apologize  for  advancing  —  the  foun- 
dations would  still  remain  and  the  very 
ruins  would  cry  aloudf  and  would  summon 
new   workmen   to  the   task  of  rebuilding" 

—  President  Motta  of  Switzerland  at  the 
meeting  of  the  Assembly  on  the  opening 
day. 

"/  ask  for  patience  and  not  for  scepticism.*' 

—  M.  Leon  Bourgeois  of  the  French  Dele- 
gation at  the  meeting  of  the  Assembly  on 
the  closing  day. 


448728 


FOREWORD 

The  following  pages  embody  the  substance 
of  an  address  made  on  January  22, 1921,  before 
the  Twentieth  Century  Club,  Boston.  The 
address  aimed  to  present  a  view  of  the  work 
of  the  League  of  Nations  up  to  the  end  of  the 
first  year  of  its  existence,  January  10,  1921. 
The  work  of  this  first  year  is  fully  set  forth  in 
thousands  of  pages  of  printed  material.  This 
little  book,  printed  in  response  to  many  re- 
quests, attempts  to  summarize  this  material 
and  to  show  what  those  engaged  in  the  work 
hoped  to  accomplish  as  they  came  together, 
and  believed  they  had  accomplished  when 
they  separated.  So  far  as  possible  the  words 
of  responsible  oflScials  of  the  League  are  re- 
produced. 

The  Covenant  of  the  Leagile  of  Nations 
under  which  the  work  has  been  carried  on  is 
printed  in  an  Appendix. 

George  Grafton  Wilson. 

Martard  University 
February  1,  1921 

vii 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS 

INTRODUCTION 

pAoa 
The  War,  1914-1918        .        .        .        .        ,        .1 

CHAPTER  I 

Making  the  Covenant 

Making  the  Covenant 2 

Revising  the  Covenant 4 

Adoption  of  the  Covenant 4 

Plans  before  the  Treaty 4 

Preliminary  Organization  under  the  Covenant        .  5 

CHAPTER  n 

The    Covenant    in    Operation    through    the 
Council 

Ratification  of  the  Treaty 7 

The  Covenant  Operative         .        .         .        •         .      7 

Council  Meetings 8 

Variety  of  Business 9 

Council  Agenda  ....        •        .        .10 

A  Session  Program 11 

Disputes  before  the  Council    .         .         .        •        .14 

Committee  Reports 14 

International  Financial  Commission    .         .         .15 

Committee  on  Court  of  Justice    .         .         .         .15 

Committee  Work  in  General        .         .         .         .16 

Council  Work  in  General 17 

ix 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS 
CHAPTER  m 

PAQB 

The    Covenant    in    Operation    through    the 
Assembly 
Provisions  for  the  First  Assembly   .        .        .        .18 
First  Meeting  of  the  Assembly        .        .        .        .18 
Opening  Words  of  the  President .        .        .        .19 

Speech  of  M.  Motta .20 

Choice  of  Seat 21 

Looking  to  the  United  States  .        .        .        .22 

Prospects  of  Permanency  .         .        .        .24 

Nature  of  League  and  its  Work        .        .        .25 

The  League  as  Seen  by  M.  Hymans    .        .        .27 

Not  a  Panacea 27 

Not  a  Super-State 28 

An  Organization  for  Cooperation     .        .        .28 
Election  of  President  of  Assembly        .        .        .29 

Parties  Voting 30 

Order  of  the  Day 81 

Organizing  the  Assembly 32 

Committees 33 

Full  Publicity 33 

The  Assembly  at  Work  .        .        .        .        .        .34 

Assembly  v.  Council 35 

Council  for  1921 36 

Amendments  to  Covenant 37 

Article  X 38 

Interpretation 38 

Armaments ,        .39 

World  Health,  etc 39 

International  Army     ..••..     39 
Registration  of  Treaties 40 

X 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS 

PAGE 

Mandates 40 

International  Court  of  Justice     .        .        .        .41 

Plan  for  Court  Adopted 42 

Delegated  Work 43 

States  Members 43 

Non-Member  States 43 

Extent  of  Member  Jurisdiction    .         .         .         .44 

Cost  of  League 45 

President  Hymans'  Views  at  Close  of  Assembly  .     46 

Five  Weeks  of  Work 47 

Court  of  International  Justice  .         .         .49 

Obligatory  Competence  Optional     .         .         .50 

Spirit  of  the  Assembly 50 

The  Great  Work  Begun 51 

Appeal  for  Advance 52 

Views  of  President  Motta  at  Close  of  Assembly  .     53 
The  First  Session  of  the  Assembly  Closes    .        .     55 

APPENDIX 
Covenant  op  the  League  op  Nations  .        .        .57 
Index •        .        .    83 


XI 


THE  FIRST  YEAR  OF  THE 
LEAGUE  OF  NATIONS 

INTRODUCTION 

THE   WAR 

The  declaration  of  war  by  Austria  against 
Serbia,   July   28,    1914,    was   followed   by 
declarations  involving  a  large  part  ^^^  ^^ 
of    the    world.     Hostilities    con-  1914-1918 
tinned  till  November  11,   1918,  when  an 
armistice    with    Germany    was   concluded 
by  Marshal   Foch   representing  the  Allied 
and    Associated    Powers.     Armis-  Armistice 
tices  had  previously  been  agreed  1918 
upon  with  Bulgaria,  September  29;    with 
Turkey,   October   30;    and   with   Austria, 
November  3,  1918. 


THE  FIRST  YEAR  OF  THE 


CHAPTER  I 

MAKING   THE   COVENANT 

The  Peace  Conference  convened  at  Paris 

on   January    18,    1919.     Premier   Clemen- 

ceau  was  chosen  President  of  the 

Making 

the  Conference.     In  closing  his  open- 

ovenan  .^^  address  he  said,  ''It  only  re- 
mains for  me  to  say,  gentlemen,  that  the 
order  of  the  day  for  our  next  sitting  will 
begin  with  the  question  of  the  Society  of 
Nations."  At  the  second  session  of  the 
Peace  Conference  on  January  25,  1919, 
speeches  were  made  upon  the  general 
subject  of  a  League  of  Nations  and  the 
Conference  adopted  the  following  reso- 
lution : 

(a)  It  is  essential  to  the  maintenance  of 
the  world  settlement,  which  the  Associated 
Nations  are  now  met  to  establish,  thO't  a 
2 


LEAGUE  OF  NATIONS 

League  of  Nations  be  created  to  promote 
international  cooperation  to  ensure  the 
fulfilment  of  accepted  international  obliga- 
tions, and  to  provide  safeguards  against 
war. 

(b)  This  League  should  be  treated  as  an 
integral  part  of  the  general  treaty  of  peace, 
and  should  be  open  to  every  civilized  nation 
which  can  be  relied  on  to  promote  its 
objects. 

(c)  The  members  of  the  League  should 
periodically  meet  in  international  conference, 
and  should  have  a  permanent  organization 
and  secretariat  to  carry  on  the  business  of 
the  League  in  the  intervals  between  the 
Conferences. 

A  Commission  of  fifteen  members  was 
appointed  to  present  a  plan  for  carrying 
out  this  resolution.  On  this  Commission 
were  two  members  from  each  of  the  Prin- 
cipal Allied  and  Associated  Powers  (United 
States,  Great  Britain,  France,  Italy,  Japan) 
and  one  member  each  from  Belgium,  Brazil, 
China,    Portugal    and    Serbia.     Delegates 

3 


THE  FIRST  YEAR  OF  THE 

from  other  States  were  subsequently  added 
to  the  Commission. 

The  report  of  the  Commission  presented 

at  the  Third  Plenary  Session  of  the  Peace 

.  .         Conference  on  February  14,  1919, 

the  was  embodied  in  a  draft  "Consti- 

ovenan      ^^^^^qj^  Qf  1}^^  League  of  Nations." 

This  draft  was  thereupon  placed  before 
the  world  for  examination  and  comment. 
The  Commission  later  took  into  consider- 
ation the  suggestions  which  its  presenta- 
tion   called    forth.     Changes    were    made 

, ,     .        and  the  ''Covenant  of  the  League 

Adoption         -  T.T     •  •     • 

of  the         of  Nations,    consistmg  of  twenty- 

ovenan      ^.^  Articles,  was  adopted  by  the 

Conference  at  the  Plenary  Session  of  April 

28,   1919.     (For  the  Covenant  see  p.  57.) 

The  Covenant  of  the  League  of  Nations 

was  the  basis  upon  which  further  peace 

negotiations  rested.     A  committee 

fore  the       entered  upon  preparation  of  pro- 

reaty        visional  plans  for  organization  of 

the  work  which  the  League,  if  established, 

might  be  called  upon  to  perform. 

4 


LEAGUE  OF  NATIONS 

The  Treaty  of   Versailles,   signed   June 
28,   1919,  contained  the  Covenant  of  the 
League  of  Nations  and  named  its  p^^,.^.^ 
Secretary-General.     Almost  imme-  ^^ry  Or- 

T        1  /->i  •  fl  r\  •  ganization 

diately  a  Committee  of  Organiza-  under  the 
tion,  representing  the  nine  Powers  ^°^®^^* 
provided  for  in  the  personnel  of  the  Council 
of  the  League,  was  appointed  by  the  Peace 
Conference.  The  Secretary-General  was 
authorized  to  make  preliminary  plans  for 
carrying  out  the  work  of  the  Secretariat. 
The  personnel  of  the  Secretariat  was  to  be 
international  and  positions  to  be  "open 
equally  to  men  and  women."  Temporary 
offices  were  opened  in  London  pending  the 
decision  of  Switzerland  upon  entering  the 
League.  The  principal  divisions  of  labor 
in  the  Secretariat  show  the  range  of  con- 
templated activities : 

1.  Administrative     Commissions     and 
Minorities  Questions 

2.  Economic  and  Financial 

3.  Information 

5 


THE  FIRST  YEAR  OF  THE 

4.  International  Bureaux 

5.  Legal 

6.  Mandates 

7.  Political 

8.  Registration  of  Treaties 

9.  Social  Questions 

10.   Transit  and  Communications 

The  office  organization  was  also  planned 
and  provisional  appointments  were  made. 
As  ratification  of  the  Treaty  of  Peace  was 
deferred  longer  than  was  anticipated  the 
plans  for  the  initial  work  of  the  League  of 
Nations  were  more  fully  formulated  than 
would  have  been  possible  otherwise. 


6 


LEAGUE  OF  NATIONS 


CHAPTER  II 

THE  COVENANT  IN  OPERATION  THROUGH 
THE  COUNCIL 

The    Treaty  of    Peace   was    ratified  on 
January  10,  1920.     Four  of  the  Principal 
Allied  and  Associated  Powers  — 
British  Empire,  France,  Italy  and  tion  of 
Japan  —  as    well    as    nine    other     ^^^^ 
Powers  ratified  the  Treaty  with  Germany. 

The  Covenant  of  the  League  of  Nations 
immediately  became  binding.     The  call  for 
the  first  meeting  of  the  Council  ^^ 
of  the  League  was  issued  for  Janu-  Covenant 
ary   16,   1920.     The  Council,  ac-  ^^^'""^^^ 
cording   to   Article   IV   of   the   Covenant, 
was  to  consist  of  nine  members  represent- 
ing   the    United    States    of    America,  the 
British  Empire,  France,  Italy,  Japan,  Bel- 
gium,   Brazil,    Greece    and    Spain.^     The 

1  The  Council  of  the  League  of  Nations  should  not  be  con- 
fused with  other  Councils  such  as  the  Supreme  War  Council  or 

7 


THE  FIRST  YEAR  OF  THE 

United  States  had  not  ratified  the  Treaty 
and  therefore  was  unrepresented. 

The  Council  of  the  League  of  Nations 
met  for  the  first  time  at  Paris  on  January 
CouncU  1^'  1920,  and,  after  transaction 
Meetings  ^f  preHminary  business  and  ap- 
pointing the  Saar  Frontier  Commission, 
fixed  upon  London  as  the  place  for  its 
second  meeting.  Ten  Council  meetings 
were  held  before  the  meeting  of  the  As- 
sembly of  the  League  of  Nations.  These 
meetings  were  held  at  Paris,  London,  Rome, 
San  Sebastian  and  Brussels.  The  sessions 
varied  in  length  from  otie  to  ten  days. 
The  total  sessions  occupied  more  than 
thirty  days.  Sittings  were  usually  held 
both  morning  and  afternoon.  At  these 
sessions  the  delegate  from  the  State  in 
which  the  meeting  was  held  presided. 
The  States  were  usually  represented  by 
the  same  person  at  all  or  at  most  of  the 
meetings.     These  representatives  therefore 

Councils  of  the  Allied  Powers  which  have  met  to  determine  the 
amount  of  reparations  to  be  required  from  Gennany,  etc. 

8 


LEAGUE  OF  NATIONS 

became  very  familiar  with  the  business  of 
the  League. 

According  to  Article  IV  of  the  Covenant, 
"The  Council  may  deal  at  its  meetings 
with  any  matter  within  the  sphere  variety  of 
of  action  of  the  League  or  affect-  Business 
ing  the  peace  of  the  world."  A  wide  range 
of  matters  came  before  the  Council  at  the 
meetings  prior  to  the  first  gathering  of  the 
Assembly.  As  such  an  organization  as 
the  Council  was  new,  even  rules  of  procedure 
had  to  be  devised  without  the  usual  ad- 
vantage of  precedent.  Many  matters  had 
been  referred  by  the  Treaty  of  Peace  to 
the  League  of  Nations.  The  League  of 
Nations  is  specifically  mentioned  in  forty- 
eight  of  the  414  Articles  of  the  Treaty 
following  the  twenty-six  Articles  of  the 
Covenant.  In  Article  49,  ''Germany  re- 
nounces in  favor  of  the  League  of  Nations, 
in  capacity  of  trustee,  the  government  of 
the  territory  defined  above."  (The  Saar 
Basin.)  In  Article  80  Austrian  indepen- 
dence is  recognized  as  inalienable  except 

9 


THE  FIRST  YEAR  OP  THE 

with  consent  of  the  Council  of  the  League 
of  Nations.  Article  102  places  Danzig 
under  the  protection  of  the  League  of  Na- 
tions. Many  unsettled  questions  in  the 
territory  ceded  by  Germany  are  left  to 
the  League  for  adjustment.  Regulation 
of  use  of  rivers,  canals,  and  means  of 
transportation  is  under  League  supervision. 
The  whole  organization  of  the  Interna- 
tional Labor  OflSce  for  which  detailed  pro- 
vision is  made  in  the  Treaty  is  closely 
bound  up  with  the  League.  It  is  planned 
that  all  international  bureaux  established 
by  general  treaties  shall  be  placed  under 
the  direction  of  the  League. 

While  the  order  of  the  day  of  the  first 
meeting  of  the  Council  contained  only  a 
CouncU  single  item,  the  order  of  the  day 
Agenda  Qf  i]^q  tenth  meeting  contained 
twenty-two  items.  The  list  of  questions 
considered  at  this  meeting  is  an  evidence 
of  the  range  of  matters  before  the  Council 
of  the  League  of  Nations. 


10 


LEAGUE  OP  NATIONS 

Tenth  Session 

Brussels.     October  20  to  October  28 

Questions  considered: 

1.  The  Finances  of  the  League : 

(a)  The  third  budget  of  the  League. 
(6)  Payment   of  the  staff  of  a  session 
the  permanent  Secretariat.  Pro- 

(c)  The  distribution  of  the  ex- 
penses of  the  League  between  the  Members. 

(d)  The  cost  of  the  Commissions  ap- 
pointed by  the  League. 

(e)  Expenses  of  the  Saar  Basin  Fron- 
tier Dehmitation  Commission. 

2.  Appointments  to  the  Secretariat. 

3.  The  First  Report  of  the  Council  to 
the  Assembly. 

4.  The  report  of  the  Committee  of 
International  Jurists  on  the  Constitution 
of  a  Permanent  Court  of  International 
Justice. 

5.  Recommendations  appended  to  the 
Report  of  the  Committee  of  International 
Jurists. 

11 


THE  FIRST  YEAR  OF  THE 

6.  The  report  of  the  Permanent  Ar- 
maments Commission. 

7.  The  report  of  the  International  Fi- 
nancial Conference. 

8.  The  report  of  the  Committee  on 
International  Statistics. 

9.  The  Permanent  Health  Organization : 
Appointment  of  a  temporary  representa- 
tive of  the  League  to  advise  as  to  the  execu- 
tion of  the  resolutions  regarding  venereal 
disease  passed  by  the  Labor  Conference  at 
Genoa. 

10.  Communications  and  transits  :  Pass- 
ports and  customs,  regulations  for  travellers, 
and  Passports  for  Officials  of  the  League. 

11.  Mandates  :  Obligations  of  the  League 
under  Article  XXII  of  the  Covenant. 

12.  The  Constitution  of  the  Free  City 
of  Danzig. 

13.  Protests  of  the  German  Government 
against  the  decision  of  the  Council  making 
definitive  the  transfer  to  Belgium  of  the 
sovereignty  over  the  districts  of  Eupen 
and  Malmedy. 

12 


LEAGUE  OF  NATIONS 

1 4 .  Protection  of  Minorities : 

(a)  Obligations  of  the  League  under  the 
Minorities  clauses  of  the  Austrian  and  Bul- 
garian Peace  Treaties. 

(6)  The  Appointment  of  the  Commis- 
sion to  supervise  the  reciprocal  immigration 
of  Greek  and  Bulgarian  Minorities. 

(c)  The  general  duties  of  the  Council 
respecting  Minorities. 

15.  Protection  of  Armenia. 

16.  Measures  taken  to  appoint  the  Com- 
mission of  rapporteurs  to  advise  the  Council 
on  the  question  of  the  Aaland  Islands. 

17.  The  dispute  between  Lithuania  and 
Poland. 

18.  The  campaign  against  typhus  in 
Poland. 

19.  The  repatriation  of  war  prisoners : 
case  of  the  Rumanian  prisoners. 

20.  Amendments  to  the  Covenant  pro- 
posed by  the  Scandinavian  States. 

21.  Resolution  presented  by  M.  Tittoni 
concerning  monopolies. 

22.  Resolution  of  the  British  Association 

13 


THE  FIRST  YEAR  OF  THE 

of  Moral  and  Social  Hygiene  demanding 
the  suppression  of  all  regulations  of  prosti- 
tution in  mandated  countries. 

Many  important  matters  had  already 
been  settled  by  the  Council  of  the  League 
j^.  before  the  meeting  of  the  Assembly 

before  in  November,  1920.  Other  mat- 
ters had  been  settled  by  the  parties 
involved  on  consultation  with  the  Coun- 
cil or  its  oflScials.  The  disputes  over  the 
Aaland  Islands  and  between  Poland  and 
Lithuania  had  been  considered  by  the 
Council  and  threatening  conflicts  had,  at 
least  for  the  time,  been  averted.  Commis- 
sions had  been  appointed  and  the  reports 
prepared  had  been  discussed  and  were  ready 
for  the  meeting  of  the  Assembly. 

Among  the  most  important  of  these 
reports  were  those  of  the  International 
Committee  Financial  Commission  and  the 
Reports  Committee  on  a  Permanent  Court 
of  International  Justice,  though  the  Re- 
ports of  the  Committees  on  Health  Or- 

14 


LEAGUE  OF  NATIONS 

ganization.  Armaments,  Mandates,  Com- 
munications and  Transit  and  others  were 
of  great  importance. 

At   the   International  Financial  Confer- 
ence,   thirty-nine    countries    were    repre- 
sented, the  United  States  having  j^^^^_ 
been  invited  to  participate,  though  national 
not  a  member  of  the  League.     The  commis- 
Conference    sat    from    September  ^^^^ 
24   to   October  8,   1920,   at  Brussels,   and 
demonstrated    clearly    the    extreme    com- 
plexity and  difficulty  of  the  financial  re- 
habilitation of  the  world,  while  showing  the 
necessity  of  cooperation  lest  greater  burdens 
be  placed  upon  all.    Recommendations  were 
made  with  a  view  to  making  provision  for 
building   a    financial    system   based    upon 
broad  knowledge  of  actual  condkions. 

The  Committee  of  Jurists  presented  a 
plan  for  a  Permanent  Court  of  Interna- 
tional   Justice,    which    met    with  ^ 

Committee 

general  approval.     The  existence  on  Court 
of  the  League  of  Nations  made 
possible    the    solution    of    the    difficulty 

15 


THE  FIRST  YEAR  OF  THE 

which  had  formerly  been  insoluble  by 
providing  in  Article  IV  for  the  election  of 
judges  by  the  Assembly  and  Council  from 
a  list  of  persons  nominated  by  the  na- 
tional groups  in  the  Court  of  Arbitration, 
generally  known  as  the  Hague  Arbitration 
Court.  The  existence  of  an  International 
Court  of  Justice  for  which  the  Covenant 
provides  is  the  secure  foundation  upon 
which  the  League  of  Nations  may  most 
safely  rest. 

A  review  of  the   reports   of   the   Com- 
mittees appointed   by  the   Council   shows 
an  evident  desire  to  face  the  facts 

Committee  , 

Work  in      and    to    draw    sane    conclusions. 

The   Commission  on  Armaments 

reports  among  other  conclusions,  that  "the 

use  of  gas  was  a  fundamentally  cruel  method 

of   carrying   on   war,    but   that   it   would 

be  useless  to  seek  to  restrict  the  use  of 

gas  in  war  by  prohibiting  or  limiting  its 

manufacture  in  peace  time,  or  to  prohibit 

laboratory  experiments.** 

The  reports  in  general  were  considered, 

16 


LEAGUE  OF  NATIONS 

and  revised  if  thought  wise,  by  the  Coun- 
cil and  then  submitted  to  the  Assembly, 

The  work  of  the  Council  before  the 
meeting  of  the  Assembly  may  be  broadly 
grouped       as       (1)  organization, 

(2)  political    under    the    League,  Work  in 

.11  •    1  •   •  ,       General 

through  special  provisions  as  to 
the  Saar  Basin,  Danzig,  Eupen  and  Mal- 
medy;  through  general  duties  as  to  Ar- 
menia, Turkey,  Austria,  Poland,  Persia, 
Aaland  Islands,  etc. ;  through  special  under- 
takings  as   in   the   work  of   commissions; 

(3)  humanitarian,  as  in  the  campaign 
against  typhus,  repatriation  of  prisoners, 
and  relief;  (4)  international  cooperation, 
as  with  the  Red  Cross. 


17 


THE  FIRST  YEAR  OF  THE 


CHAPTER  HI 

THE   COVENANT   IN   OPERATION   THROUGH 
THE   ASSEMBLY 

Article  VII  of  the  Covenant  of  the 
League  of  Nations  provides  that  "The 
seat  of  the  League  is  estabUshed 
The  First  at  Geneva."  Article  IV  pro- 
of the  vides  that  "The  first  meeting 
nSs''^  of  the  Assembly  and  the  first 
meeting  of  the  Council  shall  be 
summoned  by  the  President  of  the  United 
States  of  America.'' 

The  Journal  of  the  First  Assembly  of  the 
League  of  Nations,  Geneva,  1920,  No.  1  — 
15th  November,  1920  —  has  the  following 
upon  its  first  page : 

FIRST  MEETING  OF  THE  ASSEMBLY 

(15th  November,  at  11  o'clock) 

In    accordance    with    the    telegram    of 
Convocation  sent  by  President  Wilson,  the 
18 


LEAGUE  OF  NATIONS 

Assembly  will  meet  to-day,  15tli  November, 
at  11  o'clock. 

The  Council  have  decided  that  the  pro- 
ceedings shall  be  opened  under  the  pro- 
visional Chairmanship  of  the  Member  of  the 
Council  who  is  President  of  the  Council  for 
the  time  being,  in  this  case  Monsieur  Hymans. 

Monsieur  Hymans  will,  therefore,  take 
the  Chair,  declare  the  Meeting  to  be  open. 

The  first  page  of  the  Provisional  Ver- 
batim Record  of  this  Meeting  contains 
the  following  report : 

Opening  Words  of  the  President 
Ladies  and  Gentlemen, 

The  President  of  the  United  States  on 
17th  July  sent  to  the  Secretary-General  the 
following  telegram:  "In  answer  to  the 
request  of  the  Council  of  the  League  of 
Nations  asking  me  to  summon  the  First 
Meeting  of  the  Assembly  of  the  League  of 
Nations,  and  under  the  terms  of  Article  V 
of  the  Covenant  of  the  League  of  Nations, 
I  have  the  honor  to  summon  the  First 
Meeting  of  the  League  in  the  town  of 
Geneva,  the  Seat  of  the  League,  for  the  15th 
19 


THE  FIRST  YEAR  OF  THE 

November,  at  11  o'clock."  In  response 
to  this  summons  we  are  now  met  in  this 
hall.  I  therefore  have  the  honor  to  declare 
the  first  session  of  the  Assembly  of  the 
League  of  Nations  to  be  now  open,  and  it 
will  meet  the  wishes  of  all  if  I  call  upon 
M.  Motta  to  take  the  Chair  and  address 
the  Assembly. 

Speech  of  M.  Mottay  President  of  the  Stoiss 

Confederation 
Ladies  and  Gentlemen,  As  President  of  the 
Swiss  Confederation,  and  on  behalf  of  the 
Swiss  people  and  Government,  I  most 
heartily  welcome  this  distinguished  Assem- 
bly which  has  been  summoned  for  the  first 
time  and  is  meeting  at  the  oflScial  seat  of 
the  League  of  Nations. 

If  I  make  no  attempt  to  conceal  the  great 

emotion  which  I  feel,  it  is  because  I  am 

trying     to     visualise     the     incom- 

AS  S66X1 

by  the  parable  greatness   and   possibilities 

of  Switzer-     ^^  ^^^  event  now  taking  place  upon 

land  at  the     my  native  soil.     A  great  honor  is 

egrnnmg       ^^^jj^g  done  to   Switzerland,   and  I 

feel  overwhelmed  by  the  privilege  which 

20 


LEAGUE  OF  NATIONS 

my  official  position  confers  upon  me,  of 
being  the  first  to  address  you  in  the  name 
of  my  country. 

In  the  first  place,  I  hasten  to  take  this 
unique  opportunity  of  expressing  our  un- 
dying gratitude  to  the  Peace  Conference 
for  having  done  us  the  honor  of  selecting  the 
city  of  Geneva  as  the  seat  of  the  great 
international  body  which  it  created. 

We  knew  that  the  Conference,  in  making 
its  choice,  hesitated  between  Brussels  and 
Geneva.  If  this  choice  had  de-  choice 
pended  only  upon  newly  won  glory  o^  Seat 
and  noble  sacrifice,  Belgium's  claim  would 
have  been  absolutely  unrivalled.  Belgium's 
name  is  surrounded  by  a  halo  of  glory  which 
will  never  fade ;  Albert  the  First,  the  heroic 
Kjng,  stands  before  us  as  one  of  the  most 
noble  and  disinterested  figures  in  history; 
the  Belgian  people  will  live  in  the  minds  of 
posterity  as  a  martyr  nation. 

I  am  fulfilling  a  duty  which  I  prize  very 
highly  and  one  to  which  this  solemn  meeting 
gives  an  added  importance  when,  as  chief 
citizen  of  a  country  which  remained  neutral 


21 


THE  FIRST  YEAR  OF  THE 

throughout  the  Great  War,  I  state  here  and 
now  that  the  example  of  fidelity  to  inter- 
national obligations  and  the  laws  of  honor 
which  Belgium  has  sealed  with  her  blood 
will  be  remembered  by  men  as  long  as  the 
Principles  of  Justice  and  Right  hold  sway. 

President  Motta  then  thanked  the  Coun- 
cil of  the  League  for  its  attitude  on  the 
admission  of  Switzerland  to  the  League 
and  expressed  a  hope,  or  rather 

a  keenly  felt  desire  —  that  the  United 
States  of  North  America  should  before  long 
take  its  rightful  place  in  the  League. 

The  country  which  is  a  world  in  itself 
and  is  blessed  with  all  the  riches  of  the  earth 
—  the    glorious    democracy    which 
to  the  ^^s   absorbed   all  races   and  given 

United  them    a    common    language     and 

^**'''  government -the     people     which 

is  influenced  by  the  highest  ideals  and  is 
affected  by  every  advance  made  in  material 
progress  —  the  State  which  hurled  the  deci- 
sive weight  of  its  resources  and  armies  into 
the  scales,  and  thus  decided  the  future  of 
continents,  and  of  Europe  in  particular  — 
22 


LEAGUE  OF  NATIONS^ 

the  native  land  of  George  Washington, 
father  of  liberty,  and  of  Abraham  Lin- 
coln, champion  and  martyr  in  the  cause  of 
brotherhood;  this  country,  I  say,  cannot, 
and  surely  does  not  intend  forever  to  turn 
its  face  against  the  appeal  made  to  it  by 
nations  who,  while  retaining  their  inde- 
pendence and  their  sovereign  rights,  in- 
tend to  cooperate  for  the  peace  and  pros- 
perity of  humanity. 

What  a  task  this  is  for  humanity  on  the 
morrow  of  the  upheaval  which  has  ravaged 
its  very  vitals  with  fire  and  sword !  We 
can  find  no  tragedy  in  history  which  can 
be  compared  with  the  great  struggle  in 
which  we  have  been  actors  or  spectators. 
The  tremendous  but  gradual  collapse  of  the 
Roman  Empire  is  a  small  matter  in  com- 
parison, and  pales  before  the  recent  cata- 
clysm. 

After  speaking  of  the  nature  of  the 
struggle  and  of  the  appeal  which  it  had 
brought  for  some  means  to  make  its  repeti- 
tion unnecessary,  President  Motta  con- 
tinued : 

33 


THE  FIRST  YEAR  OF  THE 

The  day  which  witnessed  the  birth  of  the 
League    of    Nations    witnessed    an    event 
Prospects       whose    consequences    will    have    a 
of  Perma-     permanent  influence  on  the  evolu- 
nency  ^.^^  ^£  nations.     This  fact  cannot 

be  affected  by  the  obvious  lacunae  and 
inevitable  imperfections  of  the  first  Cove- 
nant. Once  the  seed  is  sown,  the  earth 
can  never  be  completely  barren.  Even  if 
this  first  edifice,  which  so  many  States  have 
helped  to  build,  were  destined  to  collapse 
—  an  impossible  hypothesis  which  I  must 
apologize  for  advancing  —  the  foundations 
would  still  remain  and  the  very  ruins  would 
cry  aloud,  and  would  summon  new  work- 
men to  the  task  of  rebuilding.  .  .  . 

The  League  of  Nations  will  live.  Already 
it  is  impossible  to  think  of  the  world  with- 
out it.  But  it  would  be  childish  to  expect 
miracles  from  it.  Individuals  are  impatient 
because  their  spell  of  life  is  short,  but 
collective  bodies  develop  slowly  because 
their  life  has  no  limits.  The  Treaties  of 
Peace  would,  in  part,  be  impossible  of 
execution  if  the  League  of  Nations  did  not 


U 


LEAGUE  OF  NATIONS 

exist.  Its  material  sanctions  are  perhaps 
at  present  and  may  for  a  long  time  yet  be 
of  doubtful  power,  but  it  already  possesses 
the  penetrating  moral  force  which  we  call 
international  consciousness.  Coercion  will 
be  within  its  sphere  of  action,  but  it  will 
rule  above  all  by  moral  force.  If  the  first 
Assembly  sets  up  the  Permanent  Court  of 
International  Justice,  it  will  have  opened 
wide  the  door  to  the  solution  of  disputes 
between  States.  .  .  . 

The  League  is  not  an  alliance  of  Govern- 
ments;    it   is   an   association    of   nations. 

Hence  it  has  included  within  the 

,  -  .,  .  .•    •.  Nature  of 

sphere  of  its  mam  activity  ques-  League 

tions  of  disarmaments,  of  com-  audits 
munications,  of  transit  and  of 
commerce,  of  hygiene,  of  financial  recon- 
struction, and,  above  all,  the  labor  question. 
States  cannot  possibly  continue  to  be 
weighed  down  by  the  crushing  burden  of 
military  expenditure;  if  it  were  so,  then 
the  sorrows  of  the  war  have  taught  us 
nothing.  No  longer  will  States  erect  against 
each    other    insurmountable   barriers.    All 


25 


THE  FIRST  YEAR  OF  THE 

countries  will  have  free  access  to  the  sea. 
No  longer  will  those  countries  which  produce 
raw  materials  —  and  especially  metals  and 
coal  —  exploit  their  wealth  as  a  monopoly. 
The  Financial  Conference  at  Brussels  has 
shown  us  the  remedies  by  which  the  ills  of 
public  finance  may  be  healed ;  but  the  gulf 
between  theory  and  practice  will  not,  alas, 
be  bridged  so  soon.  Conditions  of  labor 
will  continue  to  be  ruled  by  the  needs  of 
production,  but  the  dignity  of  the  worker 
will  be  respected,  as  will  his  sacred  right  to 
happiness  both  for  himself  and  in  his  home. 

After  remarks  upon  democracy  and 
greetings  from  democratic  Switzerland  and 
wishes  for  the  highest  success  of  the  first 
meeting  of  the  Assembly,  President  Motta 
closed  his  address  of  welcome  to  the  As- 
sembly, receiving  the  warm  applause  of 
the  gathering. 

M.  Hymans,  the  provisional  President 
of  the  Assembly,  then  replied,  thanking 
President  Motta  in  the  name  of  the  League 
for  the  welcome  which  had  been  extended 

S6 


LEAGUE   OF  NATIONS 

to  the  Assembly,  also  for  the  tribute  which 
he  had  paid  to  Belgium.  Continuing,  he  said : 

The  meeting  of  this  great  Assembly,  at 
which  the  representatives  of  forty-one  States 
are  foregathering,  is  an  event  which  will 
have  no  inconsiderable  place  in  history. 

It  is  a  proof  of  men's  yearning  for  an 

equitable,  lasting  and  peaceful  organization 

of  international  relations,  and  the  ^s  Seen 

manifestation    of    this    universal  ^y  ^• 

.     T     Hymans 
sentiment  is  an  impressive  mdi-  at  the 

cation    of    a    new    spirit    in    the  Beginning 
world.  .  .  . 

We  are  far  from  supposing  that  the  in- 
stitution set  up  by  the  Covenant  of  Ver- 
sailles is  a  perfect  one,  or  that  the  lessons 
of  time  and  experience  cannot  help  us  to 
improve  both  its  general  working  and  its 
eflPectiveness. 

Nor  can  we,  without  running  the  risk  of 
raising  delusive  hopes,  announce  that,  by 
some  magic  wand,  we  are  going  ^ot  a 
to  transform  the  world,  or  —  that  Panacea 
which  of  all  things  in  the  world  is  the  hard- 
est to  change  —  the  character  of  men. 
27 


THE  FIRST  YEAR  OF  THE 

Furthermore,  it  is  well  that  we  should 

state  once  again  that  the  League  is  not 

„  .  and    must  not    be,  a    super-State 

Super-  which    aims   at  absorbing  national 

^  ®  sovereignties,  or  at  reducing  them 

to  bondage. 

Our  aim  is  in  the  first  place  to  establish  fre- 
quent and  friendly  intercourse  between  inde- 
pendent States,  and  to  form  ties  which  will 
lead  to  mutual  understanding  and  sympathy. 
By  the  good  oflSces  of  the  Council  and  the 
Assembly,  by  arbitration  and  conciliation, 
and    by    the    establishment    of    a 
zation^for"     regular      and      permanent      inter- 
CoSpera-       national    jurisdiction,   by    a    series 
of  organizations   within  which,   as 
it  were  in  laboratories,  financial,  economic 
and  commercial  problems,   the  conditions 
of  labor  and  questions  of  health  will  be 
subjected   to   an   impartial   and   objective 
investigation,  the  League  of  Nations  will 
be  able  to  play  a  powerful  part  in  prevent- 
ing  dangerous   crises   in  the  settlement  of 
disputes  which,  if  prolonged,  run  the  risk 
of  becoming  more  bitter  and  more  acute, 

28 


LEAGUE  OF  NATIONS 

and  in  improving  the  moral  and  material 
lot  of  the  peoples  by  wise  cooperation. 

In  closing  his  address  M.  Hymans  urged 
all  to  work  together  and  to  '"seek  to  pre- 
pare and  step  by  step  to  achieve  the  reign, 
so  long  awaited,  of  international  morality 
and  human  right." 

Thus  the  purposes  of  the  Assembly  were 
set  before  its  members.  Both  Monsieur 
Motta  and  Monsieur  Hymans  had  had  close 
contact  with  the  work  and  plans  of  the 
League  of  Nations. 

After  the  above  addresses  the  first  prob- 
lem of  the  Assembly  was  the  election  of  its 
president.     While    it    was    proposed    that 
Monsieur  Hymans  be  elected  by  acclama- 
tion objection  was  raised  to  the  effect  that 
this  did  not  conform  with  the  pro- 
cedure which  should  be  followed,  of  Presi- 
Accordingly,  following  the  provi-  a^°*°!j 
sional  rules  which  had  been  pre- 
pared by  the  Council,  the  roll  of  delegations 
to  the  Assembly  was  called  in  the  order  of 

29 


THE  FIRST  YEAR  OF  THE 

the  names  of  their  countries  in  the  French 
language,  and  each  delegation  deposited  one 
ballot  with  the  candidate's  name  thereon  in 
a  box  at  the  desk  of  the  presiding  officer. 
The  result  was  forty-one  votes  cast,  of  which 
thirty-five  were  for  Monsieur  Hymans,  four 
for  Monsieur  Motta,  and  one  each  for  Mon- 
sieur Bourgeois  and  Monsieur  Ador. 
Parties  Votcs    Were    cast    in    this    first 

Voting  at     formal  act  of  the  Assembly  by  the 

Meeting        following : 


South  Africa 

Great  Britain 

Argentina 

Spain 

Australia 

France 

Belgium 

Greece 

Bolivia 

Guatemala 

Brazil 

Haiti 

Canada 

India 

Chili 

Italy 

China 

Japan 

Colombia 

Liberia 

Cuba 

Nicaragua 

Denmark 

Norway 

80 

LEAGUE  OF  NATIONS 


Panama 

Serb-Croat-Slovene 

Paraguay 

^iam 

Netherlands 

Sweden 

Peru 

Switzerland 

Persia 

Czeeho-Slovakia 

Poland 

Uruguay- 

Portugal 

Venezuela 

Rumania 

New  Zealand 

Salvador 

There  was  immediately  before  the  As- 
sembly a  provisional  order  of  the  day. 
This  included  twenty-nine  items,  order  of 
The  first  seven  items  related  to  the  *^®  ^^y 
organization  and  procedure  of  the  As- 
sembly. Then  there  followed  items  re- 
ferring to  such  matters  as  proposed  amend- 
ments to  the  Covenant,  the  respective 
competence  of  the  Council  and  the  As- 
sembly, method  of  appointment  of  the  four 
non-permanent  Members  of  the  Council, 
relations  between  technical  organizations 
and  the  Council  and  Assembly,  health 
questions,  supervision  over  various  forms 

31 


THE  FIRST  YEAR  OF  THE 

of  traflSc,  claims  of  various  States,  the 
establishment  of  a  Court  of  International 
Justice,  budgets  and  estimates,  mandates, 
admission  of  new  States,  etc. 

At  the  same  time  a  long  list  of  docu- 
ments referring  to  matters  coming  before 
the  League  was  submitted.  Many  of  these 
related  particularly  to  the  subjects  on  the 
provisional  order  of  the  day. 

In  the   afternoon  of  the  first   day   the 

Assembly  settled  down  to  business  under 

provisional     rules     of     procedure 

Organizing    ^         ,  ^  , 

the  pending  the  report  of  a  committee 

Assembly  .    j         i  c<* 

upon  suggested  rules.  Six  com- 
mittees were  constituted,  each  Delegation 
in  the  Assembly  was  entitled  to  a  place 
on  each  committee  and  each  committee 
was  to  elect  its  own  president  who  thereby 
became  a  vice-president  of  the  Assembly. 
In  addition  to  these,  six  vice-presidents 
were  elected  by  ballot.  These,  with  the 
President  of  the  Assembly,  formed  the 
general  committee.  Monsieur  Motta  was 
made  Honorary  President. 

32 


LEAGUE  OF  NATIONS 

The  general  work  of  the  committees  is 
indicated  by  their  names :  (1)  Consti- 
tutional Questions;  (2)  Tech-  q^^^^ 
nical  Organizations;  (3)  Per-  n^ittees 
manent  Court  of  International  Justice; 
(4)  Secretariat  and  Finances;  (5)  Ad- 
mission to  the  League;  (6)  Mandates, 
Armaments  and  the  Economic  Weapon. 
These  committees  were  organized  on  the 
third  day  of  the  Assembly.  The  prob- 
lems before  the  committees  were  many  and 
often  very  difficult.  It  did  not  surprise 
the  Assembly  when  on  November  27  the 
Committee  on  Mandates,  Armaments  and 
the  Economic  Weapon  said  that  it  would 
"hardly  be  in  a  position  to  report  on  arma- 
ments until  after  the  end  of  next  week.'' 

Publicity  was  the  rule.  Verbatim  re- 
ports were  issued  after  each  session  of  the 
Assembly,  even  extended  reports  p^ii 
of  the  committee  sessions  were  P^^i^city 
published.  The  Journal  of  the  Assembly 
gave  a  general  daily  review  of  matters  of 
importance,  sometimes  being  issued  both 

33 


THE  FIRST  YEAR  OF  THE 

in  morning  and  evening  editions.  Docu- 
ments upon  special  subjects,  several  hun- 
dred in  number,  were  circulated.  An  in- 
stance of  the  confidence  of  the  Assembly 
in  publicity  was  shown  when  there  was 
placed  for  open  inspection  in  the  Library 
all  the  documents  relating  to  the  bitter 
controversy  between  Poland  and  Lithuania. 
The  Journals  touch  upon  many  subjects; 
e.g.  the  issue  of  December  2  contains  a  re- 
port on  the  admission  of  Austria  to  the 
League  of  Nations,  a  report  on  typhus, 
an  invitation  to  the  United  States  to 
participate  in  the  Permanent  Advisory 
Military,  Naval  and  Air  Commission,  and 
mention  of  the  failure  of  certain  delega- 
tions to  have  "their  photographs  taken  for 
the  official  records." 

There  were  thirty-one  plenary  sessions  of 
the  Assembly  during  the  five  weeks   be- 

^  tween  November  15  and  December 

The 

Assembly     18.     Meetings     were     sometimes 

held  both  forenoon  and  afternoon. 

The  preparatory  work  of  the  Council  and 

34 


LEAGUE  OF  NATIONS 

the  Secretariat  greatly  expedited  the  work 
of  the  Assembly.  Committee  and  sub- 
committee meetings  were  many  and  at  all 
times.  The  work  of  the  committees  was 
subjected  to  discussion  in  the  Assembly  and 
in  some  instances  the  committee  recom- 
mendations were  not  followed.  This  was 
the  case  in  the  admission  of  Albania.  Ex^ 
cept  as  to  matters  of  procedure  a  unanimous 
vote  was  required. 

By  the  Covenant  of  the  League  of  Na- 
tions the  Council  and  the  Assembly  each 
have  functions,  but  no  body  of  con-  Assembly 
stitutional  law  had  been  drawn  ^-  CouncU 
up  fixing  the  limits  within  which  each 
should  act.  Further  there  seems  to  be  no 
exact  analogy  to  the  Council  and  Assembly 
in  governmental  organizations  elsewhere. 
The  Council  is  not  subordinated  to  the  As- 
sembly nor  the  Assembly  to  the  Council. 
When  the  Assembly  is  not  in  session  the 
Council  functions  for  the  League,  and  by 
the  Covenant  certain  matters  are  specifi- 
cally   left    to    the    Council.     The    States 

35 


THE  FIRST  YEAR  OF  THE 

Members  of  the  Council  are  also  Mem- 
bers of  the  Assembly.  The  degree  of 
friction  between  the  Assembly  and  the 
Council  seems  not  to  have  been  greater 
than  that  between  constituted  authorities 
in  other  organizations. 

The  choosing  of  four  non-permanent 
members  of  the  Council  by  the  Assembly 
Counca  *^  succeed  the  four  named  in  the 
for  1921  Treaty  of  Peace  gave  rise  to  much 
discussion.  Those  named  in  the  Treaty 
to  serve  with  the  representatives  of  the 
five  Principal  Allied  and  Associated  Powers 
were  Belgium,  Brazil,  Greece  and  Spain. 
There  were  attempts  made  to  devise  rules 
for  appointment  on  geographical  bases. 
Finally,  however,  a  ballot  was  taken  on 
December  15th  for  one  State  at  a  time, 
Spain  received  35  out  of  39  ballots  cast 
on  the  first  vote ;  Brazil  33  of  the  39  on  the 
second  vote;  China  19,  Belgium  16  and 
4  scattering  on  the  third  vote;  Belgium 
24  of  the  39  on  the  fourth  vote ;  and  China 
21  of  the  39  on  the  fifth  vote.     Accord- 

36 


LEAGUE  OF  NATIONS 

ingly  the  Council  for  1921  consists  of  repre- 
sentatives from  (the  United  States  of  Amer- 
ica, if  a  Member  of  the  League  of  Nations) 
Great  Britain,  France,  Italy,  Japan,  Bel- 
gium, Brazil,  China  and  Spain. 

Propositions  for  amendment  of  the 
Covenant  of  the  League  of  Nations  under 
which    the    Assembly    was    gath-   ^ 

Amend- 

ered  were  brought  forward  at  the  mentsto 

1       .       .  tj.  j      'j    j     Covenant 

very  begmnmg.  It  was  decided, 
however,  that  the  Covenant  should  be 
tried  in  its  present  form  and  all  amend- 
ments should  be  referred  to  a  committee 
which  would  receive  suggested  amend- 
ments till  March  31,  1921,  after  which  the 
committee  would  consider  these  amend- 
ments and  prepare  a  report  for  the  next 
meeting  of  the  Assembly. 

Article  X  of  the  League  of  Nations 
Covenant  provides : 

The  Members  of  the  League  undertake 
to  respect  and  preserve  as  against  external 
aggression  the  territorial  integrity  and  exist- 
ing political  independence  of  all  Members 
37 


THE  FIRST  YEAR  OF  THE 

of  the  League.  In  case  of  any  such  aggres- 
sion or  in  case  of  any  threat  or  danger  of 
such  aggression  the  Council  shall  advise 
upon  the  means  by  which  this  obligation 
shall  be  fulfilled. 

Proposed    amendments    to    this    Article 

received  attention  from  the  Assembly  at 

various     times.     The     Canadian 

Article  X  .  -rx  i  r. 

representative  on  December  10 
moved  that  Article  X  be  stricken  from  the 
Covenant.  The  Fifth  Committee  having 
to  do  with  the  admission  of  new  States  to 
the  League  in  its  report  on  the  admission 
of  Austria,  and  elsewhere,  declared : 

It  cannot  be    too    emphatically  stated 
that    Article    X    does    not    guarantee    the 
Interpre-        territorial   integrity   of   any  Mem- 
tation  ber  of  the  League.     All  it  does  is 

to  condemn  external  aggression  on  the 
territorial  integrity  and  political  indepen- 
dence of  any  Member  of  the  League,  and 
call  upon  the  Council  to  consider  what  can 
be  done  to  resist  such  aggression. 


LEAGUE  OF  NATIONS 

Previous  international  conferences  have 
expressed  ''pious  wishes"  for  reduction 
of  armaments.  The  Assembly  Anna- 
constituted  a  committee  whose  °^®^*^ 
duty  it  was  to  prepare  practical  plans 
with  a  view  to  securing  such  reductions 
based  upon  careful  investigation. 

Technical    organizations    to    aid    in   the 
care    of    world    health,    finances,  worid 
transit,  and  other  general  matters  Health,  etc. 
were  instituted. 

The  first  call  for  an  international  mili- 
tary force  to  assure  a  fair  plebiscite  to 
determine  the  disputed  frontier  be- 

,  ,  Inter- 

tween  Poland  and  Lithuania  was  national 
issued.     This  call  did  not  take  the  ^^^^ 
form  of  an  order  but  of  an  invitation :  "the 
Council  .  .  .  would    be    extremely    happy 

if  the  Government  of   should  find  it 

possible  to  furnish  a  contribution  to  the 
formation  of  the  expeditionary  detach- 
ment." Some  States  accepted  and  other 
States  found  themselves  unable  to  accept 
the  invitation. 

39 


THE  FIRST  YEAR  OF  THE 

Article  XVIII  of  the  League  of  Nations 
Covenant,  with  a  view  to  doing  away  with 

.  secret  treaties,  provided  for  regis- 

tionof  tration  and  early  publication  of 
treaties,  and  that  such  interna- 
tional agreements  should  not  be  binding 
until  registered.  Sixty-nine  treaties  had 
already  been  registered  at  the  close  of  the 
first  Assembly  meeting,  and  three  num- 
bers of  the  "  Treaties  Series  Journal ''  had 
been  published,  while  others  were  on  the 
press.  States  Members  of  the  League  of 
Nations  must  register  international  agree- 
ments even  though  these  be  with  non- 
Members.  Already  certain  treaties  of 
Members  with  the  United  States  have 
been  so  registered. 

By  Article  XXII  of    the    Covenant  of 

the   League   of   Nations   it   was   provided 

that     certain     areas     previously 

Mandates 

under  the  sovereignty  of  the  Cen- 
tral Powers  should  be  placed  under  man- 
datories on  behaW  of  the  League  as  "a 
sacred    trust    of    civilization.''    Owing    to 

40 


LEAGUE  OF  NATIONS 

the  fact  that  the  four  Prime  Ministers  of 
the  AUied  Powers  had  been  themselves 
unable  to  reach  an  agreement  on  these 
territories,  it  was  not  until  the  very  end  of 
the  session  of  the  Assembly  that  progress 
was  made.  In  a  general  way  the  adminis- 
tration of  the  mandates  is  now  under  the 
control  of  the  Council. 

Fundamental    to    the    structure    of    the 
League  of  Nations  is  a  court  of  justice. 
To  establish  this,  a  plan  had  been 
drawn  up  and  submitted  to  the  national 
Council   which   the    Council   had  Court  of 
recommended  with  a  few  changes 
to  the  Assembly.     The  Assembly  committee 
carefully    considered    the    Council    report 
and  suggested  a  few  further  changes,  some 
of  which  were  very  important.     After  full 
discussion  a  plan  for  the  Court  was  adopted 
without  opposition.     The  President  of  the 
Assembly  then  said:    ''The  statute  of  the 
International  Court  of  Justice  is  now  set 
up.     I  think  we  have  accomplished  a  great 
work/' 

41 


THE  FIRST  YEAR  OF  THE 

By  Article  XIV  of  the  Covenant  the 
plan  for  the  establishment  of  the  Inter- 
^,    ,         national  Court  of  Justice  was  to 

Planfor 

Court         be  submitted  to  Members  of  the 

Adopted        T  ft  i'z»      ••  T>  i? 

League  tor  ratification.  J3eiore 
leaving  Geneva  the  representatives  of 
twenty-two  States,  the  number  necessary, 
signed  the  Protocol  to  bring  the  Court 
into  being  as  soon  as  their  States  approved. 
Among  these  were  the  four  great  powers. 
Great  Britain,  France,  Italy  and  Japan. 
Four  States  were  also  willing  to  go  further 
than  required  in  the  Court  plan  and 
signed  a  Protocol  agreeing  upon  com- 
pulsory jurisdiction.  It  is  expected  that 
the  judges  will  be  chosen  at  the  September 
meeting  of  the  Assembly.  The  Court  will 
be  open  to  States  not  members  of  the 
League,  as  its  object  is  to  promote  justice 
in  the  world.  It  was  the  general  opinion 
of  the  Assembly  that  no  more  important 
step  had  been  taken  during  the  five  weeks 
of  varied  and  earnest  work  than  the  adop- 
tion of  this  plan. 

42 


LEAGUE  OF  NATIONS 

Much  work  was  left  by  the  Assembly 
to  the  Council,  which  would  be  sitting  in 
the  period  intervening  before  the  Delegated 
next  meeting  of  the  Assembly  in  ^^^^ 
September,  1921.  The  Assembly  had  in 
its  five  weeks'  session,  however,  fully  oc- 
cupied the  time  and  attention  of  some  of 
the  ablest  representatives  of  a  large  num- 
ber of  the  States  of  the  world. 

At  the  first  meeting  of  the  Assembly 
forty-one  States  were  represented.  At  its 
closing  meeting  forty-eight  States  states 
were  Members  of  the  League,  in-  Members 
eluding  Austria  and  Bulgaria.  Four  others 
were  also  given  opportunity  to  participate 
in  the  work  of  some  of  the  committees. 

Seventeen     States     remained     unrepre- 
sented.    Some   of   these   as   well    as    cer- 
tain   political    unities  which  had 
applied    for    admission   were    not  Member 

•  J        J  i        •  ,        ,      states 

considered   as  havmg  as  yet  at- 
tained assured  statehood.     The  seventeen 
States    mentioned    as    not    yet    admitted 
are: 

43 


THE  FIRST  YEAR  OF  THE 


Abyssinia 

Hungary 

United  States  of  America 

Iceland 

Andorra 

Lichtenstein 

Armenia 

Mexico 

Azerbaidjan 

Monaco 

Dominican  Republic 

Russia 

Ecuador 

San  Marino 

Germany 

Turkey 

Hedjaz 

Estimated  in  round  numbers  the  States 

Members  of  the  League  of  Nations  have 

jurisdiction    over    about    thirty- 

M^n^er      ^^^     million     square     miles     or 

jurisdic-     about  sixty-fivc  per  cent  of  the 
tion 

earth's    surface,    and   jurisdiction 

over  about  one  and  a  quarter  billion  of  the 
world's  population  or  over  about  seventy- 
five  per  cent  of  this  population,  thus  leav- 
ing only  about  thirty-five  per  cent  of  the 
world's  area  and  twenty-five  per  cent  of 
the  world's  population  outside  the  juris- 
diction of  States  Members  of  the  League. 
The  cost  of  running  the  League  of  Na- 
44 


LEAGUE  OF  NATIONS 

tions  was  also  one  of  the  important  ques- 
tions to  receive  consideration.  The  bud- 
get for  1921  is  about  four  miUion  dollars. 
The  War  Department  Statistical  Summary- 
showed  the  average  expenses  of  the  q^^^  ^f 
United  States  from  April,  1917,  i^^^gue 
through  April,  1919,  as  more  than  one  mil- 
lion dollars  per  hour.  For  the  ten  months 
from  July  1,  1918,  on  the  average  expenses 
were  forty-four  million  dollars  per  day,  ap- 
proaching two  million  dollars  per  hour. 
During  this  period,  however,  the  United 
States  was  expending  only  about  one  eighth 
of  the  total  amount  expended  upon  the  war. 
The  annual  expenditure  of  four  million  dol- 
lars for  the  League  of  Nations  budget  is  to 
be  distributed  among  forty-eight  States. 

The  views  of  the  President  of  the  As- 
sembly and  of  the  Honorary  President  as 
to  what  the  Assembly  hoped  to  accom- 
plish were  given  at  the  opening  meeting. 
At  the  closing  meeting,  the  31st  Plenary 
Meeting,  after  five  weeks  of  labor  together 
on  the  part  of  representatives  of  all  these 

45 


THE  FffiST  YEAR  OF  THE 

States,  these  oflScials  looked  back  and  re- 
viewed the  work  of  the  First  Assembly 
of  the  League  of  Nations.  After  this  meet- 
ing, which  gathered  at  four  o'clock  in  the 
afternoon  of  December  18  in  the  Salle  de 
la  Reformation,  had  heard  reports  of  some 
of  the  committees  and  completed  certain 
unfinished  business.  Monsieur  Hymans,  the 
President  of  the  Assembly,  in  the  presence 
of  a  thousand  or  more  persons,  said  : 

The  Assembly  has  now  completed  its 
Agenda;  but  before  declaring  this  Session 
at  an  end,  I  will  ask  your  leave  to  say  a  few 
words. 

He  expressed  the  Assembly's  appreciation 
of  the  courtesy  of  Switzerland  and  of  the 
City  of  Geneva,  of  the  work  of  the  Secre- 
tariat of  the  Assembly,  and  continued: 

It  was  said  five  weeks  ago,  at  the  opening 

of  Session,  that  we  were  making  a  great 

experiment.     To-day    I     think     I 

Hymans'        can  say   that   the   experiment   has 

C^eot        siicceeded.      The    League    of    Na- 

Assembly       tions   has   found   itself;    it   works; 

46 


LEAGUE  OP  NATIONS 

it  acts;  it  lives,  and  it  has  the  will  to 
live.  For  five  weeks  now  we  have  been 
engaged  in  work  and  discussion.  The 
Assembly  has  been  divided  into  pjve  Weeks 
numerous  Committees,  and  into  ^^  Work 
even  more  numerous  Sub-Committees.  In 
these  Committees,  in  which  all  the  States 
were  represented,  and  in  the  Sub-Com- 
mittees, care  was  taken  to  secure  the 
presence  of  all  the  most  expert  and  com- 
petent men.  The  work  undertaken  by 
these  bodies  has  been  painstaking,  thorough, 
conscientious ;  and  all  questions  considered 
have  been  submitted  to  the  most  searching 
investigation.  Let  me  quote  only  one  in- 
stance, that  of  the  Committee  intrusted 
with  the  scheme  for  an  International  Court 
of  Justice.  This  Committee  held  twenty- 
two  meetings. 

It  is  well  to  recall  these  facts,  when  we 
reflect,  gentlemen,  that  when  we  met  we 
were  to  some  extent  in  an  inorganic  state. 
No  doubt  we  had  a  constitution,  the 
Covenant.  No  doubt  the  Council  of  the 
League  of  Nations  had  for  several  months 

47 


THE  FIRST  YEAR  OF  THE 

been  deliberating  and  taking  action,  but 
the  Council  represented  only  eight  Powers, 
and  had  not  behind  it  the  support  of  the 
Nations.  As  for  the  Covenant,  it  remained 
to  be  seen  how  this  would  be  interpreted 
and  applied.  Our  methods  of  discussion, 
our  means  of  action,  were  all  uncertain. 
With  a  promptitude  which  does  it  credit, 
and  which  has  certainly  surprised  many 
Parliamentarians,  and  perhaps  many  Parlia- 
ments, the  Assembly  determined  its  Rules 
of  Procedure  in  two  sittings,  it  determined 
clearly  its  relations  with  the  Council,  it 
fixed  its  budget.  It  was  wise  enough  —  if 
I  may  express  an  opinion  now  that  my 
Presidency  is  terminating  —  it  was  wise 
enough  to  decide  not  to  revise  the  Covenant. 
It  wished  to  put  it  to  the  test,  to  set  it  in 
motion ;  it  wished  to  let  time  pass,  so  that 
it  might  allow  the  schemes  to  mature,  re- 
jecting nothing,  being  ready  to  examine  all, 
to  discuss  all,  and  submitting  to  a  Com- 
mission to  be  nominated  by  the  Council, 
the  carefully  studied  schemes  dictated  by 
experience,  so  that  in  the  fulness  of  time, 


48 


LEAGUE  OF  NATIONS 

after  a  year,  the  Assembly  may  at  length 
give  its  decisions  and  modify,  if  it  think 
fit,  the  original  plan. 

President  Hymans  then  reviewed  the  mat- 
ters which  have  been  before  the  Assembly 
and  indicated  the  purpose  that  seemed  to 
have  actuated  its  deliberations : 

The  greatest  task  of  this  Assembly  and  its 
principal   achievement   for  peace   was   the 
constitution  of  the  International 
Court  of  Justice.     This  idea  has  i^ter- 
been    germinating    for    so    many  national 
years  !     To-day  we  see  its  fruition. 
Jurists  who.  are  among   the  most   eminent 
of  the  world  prepared  the  draft  scheme  at 
The  Hague;  the  Council  investigated  and 
considered    it    thoroughly    and    at    length. 
After  the  Council  came  Committee  No.  3, 
then  a  Sub-Committee  of  specialists,  and 
finally  we  have  been  privileged  to  witness 
that  after  a  long  day  of  important  deliber- 
ations, in  which  the  most  eminent  members 
of  the  Assembly  took  part,  the  proposed 
resolutions  were  unanimously  adopted. 
We  have  built  for  you,  gentlemen,  what 
49 


THE  FIRST  YEAR  OF  THE 

I  may  call  the  Temple  of  Right,  the  Palace 

of  Peace. 

In    this    draft,    now    submitted    to    the 

Governments,  is  a  clause  to  which  I  wish 
Oblieatorv  *^  draw  the  attention  of  public 
Competence  opinion.  It  is  this  new  clause  of 
Optional         ^j.^j^j^     XXXVI,     permitting     the 

States  by  a  simple  unilateral  declaration, 
with  whatever  methods  of  reservation  they 
prefer,  to  admit  its  obligatory  competence 
for  all  disputes  of  a  juridical  nature.  .  .  . 
Now  may  I  speak  a  word  concerning  the 
spirit  which  has  united  us  here.     I  think  I 
g  . .    .         may  say  that  a  spirit  of  fraternity 
the  and    sincerity   has    dominated    our 

ssem  y  personal  relations.  One  of  the 
characteristics  of  this  great  Assembly,  where 
so  many  men  hitherto  unknown  to  each 
other  have  met  together,  has  been  the  cor- 
diality of  their  relations,  and  this  is  to  be 
explained  not  only  by  their  character  and 
their  sociability,  but  also  by  profound  uni- 
formity of  thought. 

No  doubt  —  we  have  had  an  opportunity 
of  observing  it  in  the  course  of  these  debates 

50 


LEAGUE  OF  NATIONS 

—  there  have  been  differences  of  opinion, 
but  we  have  always  felt  agreed  upon  our 
aim,  and  in  truth,  we  have  been  divided 
merely  by  shades  of  opinion  and  not  by 
principles. 

How  could  it  have  been  otherwise  ?  How 
could  we  avoid  divergences  between  men 
assembled  from  all  corners  of  the  world; 
men  from  the  North  whose  outlook  is  colder, 
men  from  the  South  of  more  ardent  and 
spontaneous  temper,  men  from  Africa,  Asia, 
America,  representatives  of  young  States, 
and  representatives  of  old  civilizations. 
But,  I  repeat,  on  our  aims,  on  the  ideal 
which  led  us,  on  the  desire  for  justice  and 
peace,  on  these  points  there  was  no  dis- 
agreement; we  felt  ourselves  united  all 
the  time.  ... 

Without  doubt,  gentlemen,  we  are  only 
at  the  beginning  of  our  work,  and  we  realize 
that  we  have  before  us  immense  xhe  Great 
tasks  to  accomplish ;  that  after  all.  Work 
compared  with   the  work    which     ^^° 
we  have  yet  to  accomplish  in  the  future  we 
have  up  till  now  achieved  relatively  little. . .  • 

51 


THE  FIRST  YEAR  OF  THE 

In  the  history  of  humanity  all  great 
works  in  their  beginning  have  met  with 
scepticism,  the  jeers  and  disparagement  of 
the  feebler  spirits.  Let  us  leave  such  things 
on  one  side  and  march  forward.  Let  us 
appeal  to  the  opinions  of  the  peoples.  We 
have  given  them  great  hope.  They  will 
never  renounce  it. 

Let  us  appeal  also  to  youth.  I  will  not 
say  that  we  are  all  old,  but  many  of  us  are 
Appeal  for  ^^^  ^^  yesterday;  some  of  us  can 
Advance  gtiU  claim  to  be  the  men  of  to-day ; 
but- 1  appeal  to  the  men  of  to-morrow.  It 
is  upon  them  that  the  great  burden  is  laid, 
on  youth,  on  the  youth  of  all  countries 
in  the  world,  and  especially  on  the  youth 
which  has  fought  and  shed  its  blood,  which 
has  garnered  the  glories  of  the  war  and 
witnessed  its  horrors;  it  is  to  youth  that 
I  appeal  to  construct  the  new  moral  world 
which  is  indispensable  to  the  full  growth 
of  the  League  of  Nations. 

We  must  persevere  in  our  tasks,  proceed 
upon  our  way,  proud  in  our  hope  and  in 
the  consciousness   of  our  lofty    duty,   we 

5S 


LEAGUE  OF  NATIONS 

must  persevere  in  our  path  to  our  glorious 
destiny. 

With  these  words  President  Hymans 
closed  his  address  to  the  Assembly.  The 
applause  which  had  frequently  interrupted 
his  remarks  was  renewed  and  prolonged 
and  the  entire  Assembly  rose  to  acclaim 
their  indorsement  of  his  sentiments. 

Monsieur  Motta,  President  of  the  Swiss 
Republic  and  Honorary  President  views  of 
of  the  Assembly,  then,  in  behalf  President 

Motta  at 

of   the  Assembly,  expressed  their  Close  of 
gratitude    to    the    President    for  ^'"^""^^^ 
the   manner   in   which   he  had  performed 
his  arduous  duties.     He  then  said : 

Ladies  and  Gentlemen,  In  a  few  moments 
we  are  going  to  part.  Not  only  is  our  con- 
fidence in  the  future  unshaken,  but  it  has 
been  increased  and  strengthened.  ...  To 
all  of  you,  Switzerland  says,  "Au  Revoir 
till  September." 

This  time  Geneva  has  appeared  to  you 
in  the  grey  robes  of  her  winter  fog,  but 
then  she  will  be  proud  to  show  herself  to 
53 


THE  FIRST  YEAR  OP  THE 

you  in  her  loveliest  garments,  tinted  with 
summer  green  and  autumn  gold. 

Between  now  and  next  September  we  shall 
doubtless  see  further  important  events 
take  place  before  our  eyes.  The  world  is 
still,  alas,  in  a  state  of  crisis ;  it  cannot  yet 
awhile  attain  its  true  equilibrium.  One  of 
the  tasks  of  the  League  of  Nations  —  its 
primordial  task,  which  is  of  far  more  im- 
portance than  all  the  others  —  is  to  work 
towards  the  appeasement  of  men's  spirits, 
the  reconciliation  of  men's  hearts,  and 
toward  the  coming  together  of  the  peoples, 
who,  whatever  may  be  the  errors  and  the 
misdeeds  of  their  political  and  intellectual 
leaders,  are  never  themselves  the  real  cul- 
prits. 

The  First  Assembly  of  the  Nations  has 
already  displayed  its  spirit  and  its  inten- 
tions. In  welcoming  into  its  midst  Austria 
and  Bulgaria,  it  has  not  appealed  in  vain 
to  the  generosity  of  the  victors  and  to  the 
loyalty  of  the  vanquished. 

Christmas  is  at  hand;  that  feast  which 
above  all  others  expresses  to  the  highest 


54 


LEAGUE  OF  NATIONS 

poetic  grandeur  and  the  most  infinite 
tenderness  the  genius  of  the  Christian  faith. 
Whatever  our  beliefs  may  be,  we  all  raise 
high  our  voices  in  this  supreme  appeal  to 
the  opinion  of  the  world  that  it  may  heed 
us  and  help  our  endeavors  and  aid  us  to 
fulfil  that  promise  which  is  both  human  and 
divine :   Peace  on  earth  to  men  of  good  will. 

When  the  applause  had  subsided,  Presi- 
dent Hymans  asked  if  any  one  else  P®  f^^^, 

•^  "  Session  of 

desired  to  speak,  and  no  one  re-  the 

T         1       ii  'J  Assembly 

spondmg,  he  then  said  :  Closes 

Gentlemen,  the  First  Session  of  the  Assembly 
of  the  League  of  Nations  is  now  closed. 

The  records  of  this  last  meeting  bear 
the  further  entry : 

The  Assembly  rose  at  6 :  35  p.m. 


55 


APPENDIX 

COVENANT  OF  THE  LEAGUE  OF 
NATIONS 

The  High  Contracting  Parties 

In  order  to  promote  international  cooperation 
and  to  achieve  international  peace  and  security 

by  the  acceptance  of  obligations  not  to  re- 
sort to  war, 

by  the  prescription  of  open,  just  and  honor- 
able relations  between  nations, 

by  the  firm  establishment  of  the  understand- 
ings of  international  law  as  the  actual  rule  of 
conduct  among  Governments,  and 

by  the  maintenance  of  justice  and  a  scrupu- 
lous respect  for  all  treaty  obligations  in  the 
dealings  of  organized  peoples  with  one  another. 
Agree  to  this  Covenant  of  the  League  of  Na- 
tions. 

Article  I.  The  original  Members  of  the 
League  of  Nations  shall  be  those  of  the  Signa- 
tories which  are  named  in  the  Annex  to  this 

57 


THE  FIRST  YEAR  OF  THE 

Covenant,  and  also  such  of  those  other  States 
named  in  the  Annex  as  shall  accede  without 
reservation  to  this  Covenant.  Such  accession 
shall  be  eflFected  by  a  declaration  deposited 
with  the  Secretariat  within  two  months  of  the 
coming  into  force  of  the  Covenant.  Notice 
thereof  shall  be  sent  to  all  other  Members  of 
the  League. 

Any  fully  self-governing  State,  Dominion  or 
Colony  not  named  in  the  Annex  may  become  a 
Member  of  the  League  if  its  admission  is  agreed 
to  by  two  thirds  of  the  Assembly,  provided 
that  it  shall  give  effective  guaranties  of  its 
sincere  intention  to  observe  its  international 
obligations,  and  shall  accept  such  regulations  as 
may  be  prescribed  by  the  League  in  regard  to 
its  military,  naval  and  air  forces  and  armaments. 

Any  Member  of  the  League  may,  after  two 
years'  notice  of  its  intention  so  to  do,  withdraw 
from  the  League,  provided  that  all  its  inter- 
national obligations  and  all  its  obligations 
under  this  Covenant  shall  have  been  fulfilled 
at  the  time  of  its  withdrawal. 

Article  II.  The  action  of  the  League  imder 
this  Covenant  shall  be  effected  through  the 

58 


LEAGUE  OF  NATIONS 

instrumentality  of  an  Assembly  and  of  a  Coun- 
cil, with  a  permanent  Secretariat. 

Article  III.  The  Assembly  shall  consist  of 
Representatives  of  the  Members  of  the  League. 

The  Assembly  shall  meet  at  stated  intervals 
and  from  time  to  time,  as  occasion  may  require, 
at  the  Seat  of  the  League,  or  at  such  other 
place  as  may  be  decided  upon. 

The  Assembly  may  deal  at  its  meetings  with 
any  matter  within  the  sphere  of  action  of  the 
League  or  affecting  the  peace  of  the  world. 

At  meetings  of  the  Assembly  each  Member 
of  the  League  shall  have  one  vote,  and  may 
have  not  more  than  three  Representatives. 

Article  IV.  The  Council  shall  consist  of 
Representatives  of  the  Principal  Allied  and 
Associated  Powers,  [United  States  of  America, 
the  British  Empire,  France,  Italy  and  Japan], 
together  with  Representatives  of  four  other 
Members  of  the  League.  These  four  Members 
of  the  League  shall  be  selected  by  the  Assembly 
from  time  to  time  in  its  discretion.  Until  the 
appointment  of  the  Representatives  of  the 
four  Members  of  the  League  first  selected  by 
the    Assembly,    Representatives    of    Belgium, 

59 


THE  FIRST  YEAR  OF  THE 

Brazil,  Greece  and  Spain  shall  be  Members  of 
the  Council. 

With  the  approval  of  the  majority  of  the 
Assembly,  the  Council  may  name  additional 
Members  of  the  League,  whose  Representatives 
shall  always  be  Members  of  the  Council;  the 
Council  with  like  approval  may  increase  the 
number  of  Members  of  the  League  to  be  selected 
by  the  Assembly  for  representation  on  the 
Council. 

The  Council  shall  meet  from  time  to  time  as 
occasion  may  require,  and  at  least  once  a  year, 
at  the  Seat  of  the  League,  or  at  such  other 
place  as  may  be  decided  upon. 

The  Council  may  deal  at  its  meetings  with 
any  matter  within  the  sphere  of  action  of  the 
League  or  affecting  the  peace  of  the  world. 

Any  Member  of  the  League  not  represented 
on  the  Council  shall  be  invited  to  send  a  Repre- 
sentative to  sit  as  a  Member  at  any  meeting 
of  the  Council  during  the  consideration  of 
matters  specially  affecting  the  interests  of  that 
Member  of  the  League. 

At  meetings  of  the  Council,  each  Member  of 
the  League  represented  on  the  Council  shall 


60 


LEAGUE  OF  NATIONS 

have  one  vote,  and  may  have  not  more  than 
one  Representative. 

Article  V.  Except  where  otherwise  ex- 
pressly provided  in  this  Covenant,  or  by  the 
terms  of  the  present  Treaty,  decisions  at  any 
meeting  of  the  Assembly  or  of  the  Council 
shall  require  the  agreement  of  all  the  Members 
of  the  League  represented  at  the  meeting. 

All  matters  of  procedure  at  meetings  of  the 
Assembly  or  of  the  Council,  including  the  ap- 
pointment of  Committees  to  investigate  par- 
ticular matters,  shall  be  regulated  by  the 
Assembly  or  by  the  Council  and  may  be  de- 
cided by  a  majority  of  the  Members  of  the 
League  represented  at  the  meeting. 

The  first  meeting  of  the  Assembly  and  the 
first  meeting  of  the  Council  shall  be  summoned 
by  the  President  of  the  United  States  of 
America. 

Article  VI.  The  permanent  Secretariat 
shall  be  established  at  the  Seat  of  the  League. 
The  Secretariat  shall  comprise  a  Secretary- 
General  and  such  secretaries  and  staff  as  may 
be  required. 

The  first  Secretary-General  shall  be  the  per- 
61 


THE  FIRST  YEAR  OF  THE 

son  named  in  the  Annex;  thereafter  the  Sec- 
retary-General shall  be  appointed  by  the 
Council  with  the  approval  of  the  majority  of 
the  Assembly. 

The  secretaries  and  the  staff  of  the  Secre- 
tariat shall  be  appointed  by  the  Secretary- 
General  with  the  approval  of  the  Council. 

The  Secretary-General  shall  act  in  that  ca- 
pacity at  all  meetings  of  the  Assembly  and  of 
the  Council. 

The  expenses  of  the  Secretariat  shall  be 
borne  by  the  Members  of  the  League  in  ac- 
cordance with  the  apportionment  of  the  ex- 
penses of  the  International  Bureau  of  the 
Universal  Postal  Union. 

Article  VII.  The  Seat  of  the  League  is 
established  at  Geneva. 

The  Council  may  at  any  time  decide  that  the 
Seat  of  the  League  shall  be  established  else- 
where. 

All  positions  under  or  in  connection  with 
the  League,  including  the  Secretariat,  shall  be 
open  equally  to  men  and  women. 

Representatives  of  the  Members  of  the 
League  and  officials  of  the  League  when  en- 

62 


LEAGUE  OF  NATIONS 

gaged  on  the  business  of  the  League  shall  en- 
joy diplomatic  privileges  and  immunities. 

The  buildings  and  other  property  occupied 
by  the  League  or  its  oflScials  or  by  Repre- 
sentatives attending  its  meetings  shall  be 
inviolable. 

Article  VIII.  The  Members  of  the  League 
recognize  that  the  maintenance  of  peace  re- 
quires the  reduction  of  national  armaments  to 
the  lowest  point  consistent  with  national  safety 
and  the  enforcement  by  common  action  of 
international  obligations. 

The  Counfcil,  taking  account  of  the  geograpf 
ical  situation  and  circumstances  of  each  State, 
shall  formulate  plans  for  such  reduction  for  the 
consideration  and  action  of  the  several  Govern- 
ments. 

Such  plans  shall  be  subject  to  reconsideration 
and  revision  at  least  every  ten  years. 

After  these  plans  shall  have  been  adopted 
by  the  several  Governments,  the  limits  of  arma- 
ments therein  fixed  shall  not  be  exceeded  with- 
out the  concurrence  of  the  Council.  . 

The  Members  of  the  League  agree  that  the\ 
manufacture  by  private  enterprise  of  muni-  | 

63  / 


THE  FIRST  YEAR  OF  THE 

tions  and  implements  of  war  is  open  to  grave 
objections.  The  Council  shall  advise  how  the 
evil  effects  attendant  upon  such  manufacture 
can  be  prevented,  due  regard  being  had  to  the 
necessities  of  those  Members  of  the  League 
which  are  not  able  to  manufacture  the  muni- 

V     tions   and   implements   of   war   necessary   for 
their  safety. 
r      The  Members  of  the  League  undertake  to 
/    interchange  full  and  frank  information  as  to- 
/      the  scale  of  their  armaments,  their  military, 
/       naval  and  air  programs,  and  the  condition  of 
1       such  of  their  industries  as  are  adaptable  to 
V.  warlike  purposes. 

Article  IX.  A  permanent  Commission  shall 
be  constituted  to  advise  the  Council  on  the 
execution  of  the  provisions  of  Articles  1  and  8 
and  on  military,  naval  and  air  questions  gen- 
erally. 

/  Article  X.  The  Members  of  the  League 
I  undertake  to  respect  and  preserve  as  against 
external  aggression  the  territorial  integrity 
and  existing  political  independence  of  all  Mem- 
bers of  theXeagTier'  In  case  of  any  such  ag- 
gression or  in  case  of  any  threat  or  danger  of 


LEAGUE  OF  NATIONS 

such  aggression,  the  Council  shall  advise  upon 
the  means  by  which  this  obligation  shall  be 
fulfilled. 

Article  XI.  Any  war  or  threat  of  war, 
whether  immediately  affecting  any  of  the 
Members  of  the  League  or  not,  is  hereby  de- 
clared a  matter  of  concern  to  the  whole  League, 
and  the  League  shall  take  any  action  that  may 
be  deemed  wise  and  effectual  to  safeguard  the 
peace  of  nations.  In  case  any  such  emergency 
should  arise,  the  Secretary-General  shall,  on 
the  request  of  any  Member  of  the  League, 
forthwith  summon  a  meeting  of  the  Council. 

It  is  also  declared  to  be  the  friendly  right  of 
each  Member  of  the  League  to  bring  to  the  at- 
tention of  the  Assembly  or  of  the  Council  any 
circumstance  whatever  affecting  international 
relations  which  threatens  to  disturb  inter- 
national peace  or  the  good  understanding 
between  nations  upon  which  peace  depends. 

Article  XII.  The  Members  of  the  League 
agree  that,  if  there  should  arise  between  them 
any  dispute  likely  to  lead  to  a  rupture,  they  will 
submit  the  matter  either  to  arbitration  or  to 
inquiry  by  the  Council,  and  they  agree  in  no 

65 


THE  FIRST  YEAR  OF  THE 

case  to  resort  to  war  until  three  months  after 
the  award  by  the  arbitrators  or  the  report  by 
the  Council. 

In  any  case  under  this  Article  the  award  of 
the  arbitrators  shall  be  made  within  a  reasonable 
time,  and  the  report  of  the  Council  shall  be 
made  within  six  months  after  the  submission 
of  the  dispute. 

Article  XIII.  The  Members  of  the  League 
agree  that,  whenever  any  dispute  shall  arise 
between  them  which  they  recognize  to  be 
suitable  for  submission  to  arbitration  and  which 
cannot  be  satisfactorily  settled  by  diplomacy, 
they  will  submit  the  whole  subject-matter  to 
arbitration. 

Disputes  as  to  the  interpretation  of  a  treaty, 
as  to  any  question  of  international  law,  as  to 
the  existence  of  any  fact  which  if  established 
would  constitute  a  breach  of  any  international 
obligation,  or  as  to  the  extent  and  nature  of  the 
reparation  to  be  made  for  any  such  breach,  are 
declared  to  be  among  those  which  are  generally 
suitable  for  submission  to  arbitration. 

For  the  consideration  of  any  such  dispute  the 
court  of  arbitration  to  which  the  case  is  referred 


LEAGUE  OF  NATIONS 

shall  be  the  court  agreed  on  by  the  parties  to 
the  dispute  or  stipulated  in  any  convention 
existing  between  them. 

The  Members  of  the  League  agree  that  they 
will  carry  out  in  full  good  faith  any  award  that 
may  be  rendered  and  that  they  will  not  resort 
to  war  against  a  Member  of  the  League  which 
complies  therewith.  In  the  event  of  any  failure 
to  carry  out  such  an  award,  the  Council  shall 
propose  what  steps  should  be  taken  to  give 
effect  thereto. 

Article  XIV.  The  Council  shall  formulate 
and  submit  to  the  Members  of  the  League  for 
adoption  plans  for  the  establishment  of  a  Per- 
manent Court  of  International  Justice.  The 
Court  shall  be  competent  to  hear  and  deter- 
mine any  dispute  of  an  international  character 
which  the  parties  thereto  submit  to  it.  The 
Court  may  also  give  an  advisory  opinion  upon 
any  dispute  or  question  referred  to  it  by  the 
Council  or  by  the  Assembly. 

Article  XV.  If  there  should  arise  between 
Members  of  the  League  any  dispute  likely  to 
lead  to  a  rupture,  which  is  not  submitted  to 
arbitration  in  accordance  with  Article  13,  the 

67 


THE  FIRST  YEAR  OP  THE 

members  of  the  League  agree  that  they  will 
submit  the  matter  to  the  Council.  Any  party 
to  the  dispute  may  eflFect  such  submission  by 
giving  notice  of  the  existence  of  the  dispute 
to  the  Secretary-General,  who  will  make  all 
necessary  arrangements  for  a  full  investigation 
and  consideration  thereof. 

For  this  purpose  the  parties  to  the  dispute  will 
communicate  to  the  Secretary-General,  as 
promptly  as  possible,  statements  of  their  case, 
with  all  the  relevant  facts  and  papers,  and  the 
Council  may  forthwith  direct  the  publication 
thereof. 

The  Council  shall  endeavor  to  effect  a  settle- 
ment of  the  dispute,  and  if  such  efforts  are  suc- 
cessful, a  statement  shall  be  made  public  giving 
such  facts  and  explanations  regarding  the  dis- 
pute and  the  terms  of  settlement  thereof  as  the 
Council  may  deem  appropriate. 

If  the  dispute  is  not  thus  settled,  the  Council 
either  unanimously  or  by  a  majority  vote  shall 
make  and  publish  a  report  containing  a  state- 
ment of  the  facts  of  the  dispute  and  the  recom- 
mendations which  are  deemed  just  and  proper 
in  regard  thereto. 

68 


LEAGUE  OF  NATIONS 

Any  Member  of  the  League  represented  on 
the  Council  may  make  public  a  statement  of 
the  facts  of  the  dispute  and  of  its  conclusions 
regarding  the  same. 

If  a  report  by  the  Council  is  unanimously 
agreed  to  by  the  Members  thereof  other  than 
the  Representatives  of  one  or  more  of  the 
parties  to  the  dispute,  the  Members  of  the 
League  agree  that  they  will  not  go  to  war  with 
any  party  to  the  dispute  which  complies  with 
the  recommendations  of  the  report. 

If  the  Council  fails  to  reach  a  report  which  is 
unanimously  agreed  to  by  the  members  thereof, 
other  than  the  Representatives  of  one  or  more 
of  the  parties  to  the  dispute,  the  Members  of 
the  League  reserve  to  themselves  the  right  to 
take  such  action  as  they  shall  consider  necessary 
for  the  maintenance  of  right  and  justice. 

If  the  dispute  between  the  parties  is  claimed 
by  one  of  them,  and  is  found  by  the  Council, 
to  arise  out  of  a  matter  which  by  international 
law  is  solely  within  the  domestic  jurisdiction 
of  that  party,  the  Council  shall  so  report,  and 
shall  make  no  recommendation  as  to  its  settle- 
ment. 


69 


THE  FIRST  YEAR  OF  THE 

The  Council  may  in  any  case  under  this 
Article  refer  the  dispute  to  the  Assembly.  The 
dispute  shall  be  so  referred  at  the  request  of 
either  party  to  the  dispute,  provided  that  such 
request  be  made  within  fourteen  days  after  the 
submission  of  the  dispute  to  the  Council. 

In  any  case  referred  to  the  Assembly,  all  the 
provisions  of  this  Article  and  of  Article  12  re- 
'  lating  to  the  action  and  powers  of  the  Council 

shall  apply  to  the  action  and  powers  of  the 
Assembly,  provided  that  a  report  made  by  the 
Assembly,  if  concurred  in  by  the  Representa- 
tives of  those  Members  of  the  League  repre- 
sented on  the  Council  and  of  a  majority  of  the 
other  Members  of  the  League,  exclusive  in  each 
case  of  the  Representatives  of  the  parties  to 
the  dispute,  shall  have  the  same  force  as  a  report 
by  the  Council  concurred  in  by  all  the  members 
thereof  other  than  the  Representatives  of  one 
or  more  of  the  parties  to  the  dispute. 

^^^-^  Article  XVI.     Should  any  Member  of  the 

^    League  resort  to  war  in  disregard  of  its  cove- 

^\        nants   under  Articles    12,    13   or    15,   it   shall 

\/  1\      i^pso  facto  be  deemed  to  have  committed  an 

1  \     act  of  war  against  all  other  Members  of  the 


LEAGUE  OF  NATIONS 


League,  which  hereby  undertake  immediately 
to  subject  it  to  the  severance  of  all  trade  or 
financial  relations,  the  prohibition  of  all  inter- 
course between  their  nationals  and  the  nationals 
of  the  covenant-breaking  State,  and  the  pre- 
vention of  all  financial,  commercial  or  personal 
intercourse  between  the  nationals  of  the  cove- 
nant-breaking State  and  the  nationals  of  any 
other  State,  whether  a  Member  of  the  League 
or  not. 

It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  Council  in  such  I 
case  to  recommend  to  the  several  Governments 
concerned~wHat  effective  military,  naval  or  air 
force  the  Members  of  the  League  shall  severally 
contribute  to  the  armed  forces  to  be  used  to 
protect  the  covenants  of  the  League. 

The  Members  of  the  League  agree,  further, 
that  they  will  mutually  support  one  another 
in  the  financial  and  economic  measures  which 
are  taken  under  this  Article,  in  order  to  mini- 
mize the  loss  and  inconvenience  resulting  from 
the  above  measures,  and  that  they  will  mutually 
support  one  another  in  resisting  any  special 
measures  aimed  at  one  of  their  number  by  the 
covenant-breaking  State,  and  that  they  will 


J5>  XJU^pJL  td.  -^t^uo 


-/J^^'-<^ 


THE  FIRST  YEAR  OP  THE 

take  the  necessary  steps  to  afford  passage 
through  their  territory  to  the  forces  of  any  of 
the  Members  of  the  League  which  are  co- 
operating to  protect  the  covenants  of  the 
League. 

Any  Member  of  the  League  which  has  vio- 
lated any  covenant  of  the  League  may  be  de- 
clared to  be  no  longer  a  Member  of  the  League 
by  a  vote  of  the  Council  concurred  in  by  the 
Representatives  of  all  the  other  Members  of 
the  League  represented  thereon. 

Article  XVII.  In  the  event  of  a  dispute 
between  a  Member  of  the  League  and  a  State 
which  is  not  a  Member  of  the  League,  or  be- 
tween States  not  Members  of  the  League,  the 
State  or  States  not  Members  of  the  League 
shall  be  invited  to  accept  the  obligations  of 
Membership  in  the  League  for  the  purposes  of 
such  dispute,  upon  such  conditions  as  the 
Council  may  deem  just.  If  such  invitation  is 
accepted,  the  provisions  of  Articles  12  to  16, 
inclusive,  shall  be  applied  with  such  modifi- 
cations as  may  be  deemed  necessary  by  the 
Council. 

Upon  such  invitation  being  given,  the  Coun- 
72 


LEAGUE  OF  NATIONS 

cil  shall  immediately  institute  an  inquiry  into 
the  circumstances  of  the  dispute  and  recom- 
mend such  action  as  may  seem  best  and  most 
effectual  in  the  circumstances. 

If  a  State  so  invited  shall  refuse  to  accept 
the  obligations  of  membership  in  the  League 
for  the  purposes  of  such  dispute,  and  shall 
resort  to  war  against  a  member  of  the  League, 
the  provisions  of  Article  16  shall  be  appli- 
cable as  against  the  State  taking  such 
action. 

If  both  parties  to  the  dispute  when  so  in- 
vited refuse  to  accept  the  obligations  of  mem- 
bership in  the  League  for  the  purposes  of  such 
dispute,  the  Council  may  take  such  measures 
and  make  such  recommendations  as  will  prevent 
hostilities  and  will  result  in  the  settlement  of 
the  dispute. 

Article  XVIII.  Every  treaty  or  inter- 
national engagement  entered  into  hereafter  by 
any  Member  of  the  League  shall  be  forthwith 
registered  with  the  Secretariat  and  shall  as 
soon  as  possible  be  published  by  it.  No  such 
treaty  or  international  engagement  shall  be 
binding  until  so  registered. 

73 


THE  FIRST  YEAR  OF  THE 

Article  XIX.  The  Assembly  may  from 
time  to  time  advise  the  reconsideration  by 
Members  of  the  League  of  treaties  which  have 
become  inapplicable,  and  the  consideration  of 
international  conditions  whose  continuance 
might  endanger  the  peace  of  the  world. 

Article  XX.  The  Members  of  the  League 
severally  agree  that  this  Covenant  is  accepted 
as  abrogating  all  obligations  or  understandings 
inter  se  which  are  inconsistent  with  the  terms 
thereof,  and  solemnly  undertake  that  they  will 
not  hereafter  enter  into  any  engagements  in- 
consistent with  the  terms  thereof. 

In  case  any  Member  of  the  League  shall, 
before  becoming  a  Member  of  the  League, 
have  undertaken  any  obligations  inconsistent 
with  the  terms  of  this  Covenant,  it  shall  be  the 
duty  of  such  Member  to  take  immediate  steps 
to  procure  its  release  from  such  obligations. 

Article  XXI.  Nothing  in  this  Covenant 
shall  be  deemed  to  affect  the  validity  of  inter- 
national engagements,  such  as  treaties  of  arbi- 
tration or  regional  understandings  like  the 
Monroe  doctrine,  for  securing  the  maintenance 
of  peace. 

74 


LEAGUE  OF  NATIONS 

Article  XXII.  To  those  colonies  and  terri- 
tories which  as  a  consequence  of  the  late  war 
have  ceased  to  be  under  the  sovereignty  of  the 
States  which  formerly  governed  them  and  which 
are  inhabited  by  peoples  not  yet  able  to  stand 
by  themselves  under  the  strenuous  conditions  of 
the  modern  world,  there  should  be  applied  the 
principle  that  the  well-being  and  development  of 
such  peoples  form  a  sacred  trust  of  civilization 
and  that  securities  for  the  performance  of  this 
trust  should  be  embodied  in  this  Covenant. 

The  best  method  of  giving  practical  effect 
to  this  principle  is  that  the  tutelage  of  such 
peoples  should  be  intrusted  to  advanced  nations 
who,  by  reason  of  their  resources,  their  expe- 
rience or  their  geographical  position  can  best 
undertake  this  responsibility,  and  who  are 
willing  to  accept  it,  and  that  this  tutelage  should 
be  exercised  by  them  as  Mandatories  on  behalf 
of  the  League. 

The  character  of  the  mandate  must  differ 
according  to  the  stage  of  the  development  of 
the  people,  the  geographical  situation  of  the 
territory,  its  economic  conditions  and  other 
similar  circumstances. 


75 


THE  FIRST  YEAR  OF  THE 

Certain  communities  formerly  belonging  to 
the  Turkish  Empire  have  reached  a  stage  of 
development  where  their  existence  as  indepen- 
dent nations  can  be  provisionally  recognized 
subject  to  the  rendering  of  administrative  ad- 
vice and  assistance  by  a  Mandatory  until  such 
time  as  they  are  able  to  stand  alone.  The 
wishes  of  these  communities  must  be  a  prin- 
cipal consideration  in  the  selection  of  the 
Mandatory. 

Other  peoples,  especially  those  of  Central 
Africa,  are  at  such  a  stage  that  the  Mandatory 
must  be  responsible  for  the  administration  of 
the  territory  under  conditions  which  will 
guarantee  freedom  of  conscience  and  religion, 
subject  only  to  the  maintenance  of  public  order 
and  morals,  the  prohibition  of  abuses  such  as 
the  slave  trade,  the  arms  traflSc  and  the  liquor 
traffic,  and  the  prevention  of  the  establishment 
of  fortifications  or  military  and  naval  bases 
and  of  military  training  of  the  natives  for 
other  than  police  purposes  and  the  defense  of 
territory,  and  will  also  secure  equal  oppor- 
tunities for  the  trade  and  commerce  of  other 
Members  of  the  League. 


76 


LEAGUE  OF  NATIONS 

There  are  territories,  such  as  Southwest  Africa 
and  certain  of  the  South  Pacific  islands,  which, 
owing  to  the  sparseness  of  their  population,  or 
their  small  size,  or  their  remoteness  from  the 
centers  of  civilization,  or  their  geographical 
contiguity  to  the  territory  of  the  Mandatory, 
and  other  circumstances,  can  be  best  adminis- 
tered under  the  laws  of  the  Mandatory  as 
integral  portions  of  its  territory,  subject  to  the 
safeguards  above  mentioned  in  the  interests 
of  the  indigenous  population. 

In  every  case  of  mandate,  the  Mandatory 
shall  render  to  the  Council  an  annual  report 
in  reference  to  the  territory  committed  to  its 
charge. 

The  degree  of  authority,  control  or  adminis- 
tration to  be  exercised  by  the  Mandatory  shall, 
if  not  previously  agreed  upon  by  the  Members 
of  the  League,  be  explicitly  defined  in  each  case 
by  the  Council. 

A  permanent  Commission  shall  be  constituted 
to  receive  and  examine  the  annual  reports  of 
the  Mandatories  and  to  advise  the  Council 
on  all  matters  relating  to  the  observance  of  the 
mandates. 


77 


THE  FIRST  YEAR  OF  THE 

Article  XXIH.  Subject  to  and  in  accord- 
ance with  the  provisions  of  international  con- 
ventions existing  or  hereafter  to  be  agreed  upon, 
the  Members  of  the  League : 

(a)  will  endeavor  to  secure  and  maintain 
fair  and  humane  conditions  of  labor  for 
men,  women,  and  children,  both  in  their 
own  countries  and  in  all  countries  to  which 
their  commercial  and  industrial  relations 
extend,  and  for  that  purpose  will  establish 
and  maintain  the  necessary  international 
organizations ; 

(6)  undertake  to  secure  just  treatment 
of  the  native  inhabitants  of  territories  under 
their  control ; 

(c)  will  intrust  the  League  with  the 
general  supervision  over  the  execution  of 
agreements  with  regard  to  the  traflSc  in 
women  and  children  and  the  traflSc  in 
opium  and  other  dangerous  drugs; 

(d)  will  intrust  the  League  with  the 
general  supervision  of  the  trade  in  arms  and 
ammunition  with  the  countries  in  which  the 
control  of  this  traflSc  is  necessary  in  the 
common  interest ; 

78 


LEAGUE  OP  NATIONS 

{e)  will  make  provision  to  secure  and 
maintain  freedom  of  communications  and 
of  transit  and  equitable  treatment  for  the 
commerce  of  all  Members  of  the  League. 
In  this  connection,  the  special  necessities 
of  the  regions  devastated  during  the  war  of 
1914-1918  shall  be  borne  in  mind ; 

(/)  will  endeavor  to  take  steps  in  matters 
of  international  concern  for  the  prevention 
and  control  of  disease. 

Article  XXIV.  There  shall  be  placed  under 
the  direction  of  the  League  all  international 
bureaux  already  established  by  general  treaties, 
if  the  parties  to  such  treaties  consent.  All  such 
international  bureaux  and  all  commissions  for 
the  regulation  of  matters  of  international  in- 
terest hereafter  constituted  shall  be  placed  under 
the  direction  of  the  League. 

In  all  matters  of  international  interest  which 
are  regulated  by  general  conventions  but  which 
are  not  placed  under  the  control  of  inter- 
national bureaux  or  commissions,  the  Secre- 
tariat of  the  League  shall,  subject  to  the  con- 
sent of  the  Council  and  if  desired  by  the 
parties,  collect  and  distribute  all  relevant  infor- 

79 


THE  FIRST  YEAR  OF  THE 

mation  and  shall  render  any  other  assistance 
which  may  be  necessary  or  desirable. 

The  Council  may  include  as  part  of  the  ex- 
penses of  the  Secretariat  the  expenses  of  any 
bureau  or  commission  which  is  placed  under  the 
direction  of  the  League. 

Article  XXV.  The  Members  of  the  League 
agree  to  encourage  and  promote  the  establish- 
ment and  cooperation  of  duly  authorized 
voluntary  national  Red  Cross  organizations 
having  as  purposes  the  improvement  of  health, 
the  prevention  of  disease  and  the  mitigation 
of  suflFering  throughout  the  world. 

Article  XXVI.  Amendments  to  this  Cove- 
nant will  take  effect  when  ratified  by  the  Mem- 
bers of  the  League  whose  Representatives 
compose  the  Council  and  by  a  majority  of  the 
Members  of  the  League  whose  Representatives 
compose  the  Assembly, 
r^  No  such  amendment  shall  bind  any  Member 
of  the  League  which  signifies  its  dissent  there- 
from, but  in  that  case  it  shall  cease  to  be  a 
Member  of  the  League. 

80 


LEAGUE  OF  NATIONS 

ANNEX 

I.  Original  Members  of  the  League  of  Nations, 
Signatories  of  the  Treaty  of  Peace. 
United  States  of  America  Haiti 


Belgium 

Hedjaz 

Bolivia 

Honduras 

Brazil 

Italy 

British  Empire 

Japan 

Canada 

Liberia 

Australia 

Nicaragua 

South  Africa 

Panama 

New  Zealand 

Peru 

India 

Poland 

China 

Portugal 

Cuba 

Rumania 

Ecuador 

Serb-Croat-Slovene  State 

France 

Siam 

Greece 

Czecho-Slovakia 

Guatemala 

Urugua 

States  Invited  to 

Accede 

TO  THE  Covenant. 

Argentine  Republic 

Persia 

Chile 

Salvador 

Colombia 

Spain 

Denmark 

Sweden 

Netherlands 

Switzeriand 

Norway 

~^ 

Venezuela 

Paraguay 

n.    First  Secretary-General  of  the  League  op 

Nations. 

The  Honorable  Sir  James  Eric  Drummond,  K.  C.  M.  G., 

C.B. 

81 

INDEX 

Aaland  Islands 13,  14 

Abrogation  of  treaties  inconsistent  with  Cove- 
nant     74 

Accession  to  Covenant 58 

Admission  to  the  League 58 

Adoption  of  the  Covenant 4 

Ador,  G 30 

Agenda,  10th  session  of  Council     ....      11-14 
Amendment  of  the  Covenant : 

Covenant  provisions  for 90 

Proposed  amendments 13,  31,  37,  38 

Arbitration : 

Awards  to  be  followed 67 

Disputes  suitable  for  arbitration     ....      66 
League  Members  to  arbitrate     ....     65,  66 

Argentine  Republic 30,  81 

Armaments : 

Commissions  on 12,  16 

Information  on,  to  be  interchanged     ...       64 

Reduction  of,  under  Covenant 63 

Armenia 13 

Armistices : 

Austria,  3  Nov.,  1918 1 

Bulgaria,  29  Sept.,  1918 1 

Germany,  11  Nov.,  1918 1 

Turkey,  30  Oct.,  1918 1 


INDEX 

Arms  traffic  in  backward  areas 76,  78 

Article  X : 

Interpretation  of 38 

Proposal  to  strike  out 38 

Text  of 37-38,  64-65 

Assembly  of  the  League  of  Nations : 

Adoption  of  Permanent  Court  plan     ...      41 

Agenda  for  first  day 31,  32 

Amendments  proposed  in 37,  38 

Armaments  plan 39 

Article  X,  discussed 37,  38 

Choice  of  non-permanent  Council  Members  36,  37 

Closing  of 55 

Committee  work  in .     .     34,  35 

Composition  and  general  functions      ...       59 
Covenant  provision  for  calling  of    .     .     .      18,  61 

Election  of  President 29,  30 

Hymans,  P : 

Opening  words  of 19,  20 

Views  of,  at  beginning  of  Assembly      .     26-29 

At  close  of  Assembly 46-53 

Motta,  G.,  President  of  Switzerland : 

Speech  of  welcome  by 20-26 

Views  of,  at  close  of  Assembly     .     .     .      53-55 

Organization    . 32,  33 

President  Wilson  convenes  Assembly  .     .     19,  20 
Procedure  under  the  Covenant        ....      61 

Publicity  of  proceedings 33,  34 

Reconsideration  of  treaties 74 

Settlement  of  disputes 70 

84 


INDEX 

Technical  organizations  under 39 

V,  Council 31,  35,  36 

Australia 30,  81 

Austria : 

Armistice,  3  Nov.,  1918 1 

Declaration  of  war  on  Serbia,  28  July,  1914         1 
Independence  inalienable 9,  10 

Belgium  : 

Chosen  as  non-permanent  Council  member   36,  37 

Covenant  Commission 3 

Member  of  Council  under  Covenant    .     .       7,  59 

Original  Member  of  League 81 

Represented  at  first  Assembly 30 

Tribute  paid  by  M.  Motta     .     .     /  .     .     21,  22 

Blockade  of  Covenant-breaking  states    ...       71 

Bourgeois,  L 30 

Brazil : 

Chosen  as  non-permanent  Council  member  36,  37 

Covenant  Commission 3 

Member  of  Council  under  Covenant   .     .       7,  60 

Original  Member  of  League 81 

Represented  at  first  Assembly 30 

British  Association  of  Moral  and  Social  Hy- 
giene   14 

British  Empire 81 

Bulgaria 1 

Canada 30,  81 

Chile 30,81 

85 


INDEX 

China : 

Chosen  as  non-permanent  Council  Member  36,  37 

Covenant  Commission 3 

Original  Member  of  League 81 

Represented  at  first  Assembly 30 

Clemenceau,  G 2 

Colombia 30,  81 

Commission  on  Covenant  plan 3,  4 

Commission  on  military,  naval  and  air  ques- 
tions         ...      64 

Committee  of  Jurists : 

Permanent  Court  plan 15,  16 

Report  of,  before  Council 11 

Committee  on  International  Statistics  ...  12 
Committee  reports  prepared  for  Assembly  .     14,  15 

Communications  and  transit 12 

Competence  of  Permanent  Court 67 

Composition  and  competence  of  Council  .  .  60 
Composition  and  functions  of  Assembly  .  .  59 
Council  of  the  League  of  Nations : 

Aaland  Islands  dispute 14 

Action  when  aggression  is  threatened  .     .     64,  65 
Action  when  arbitral  award  refused     ...       67 

Agenda  of  tenth  meeting 10-14 

Appoints  Saar  Frontier  Commission    ...        8 

Call  for  first  meeting 7 

Classification  of  work  of  Council     ....       17 

Composition  and  functions 59,  60 

Disputes  involving  non-members    ...     72,  73 
Election  of  non-permanent  members  ...      36 


INDEX 

International  Army 39 

Mandates 77 

Members  under  the  Covenant 7 

Method  of  setthng  disputes 67,  70 

Permanent  Court  plan 67 

Polish-Lithuanian  dispute 14 

Procedure 19,  61 

Reduction  of  Armaments  .     .     .     .     .     .63,  64, 

Reports  on  disputes 65,  66 

Summoning  of 61 

Cuba 30,81 

Czecho-Slovakia 31,  81 

Danzig 10,  12 

Denmark 30,  81 

Diplomatic  privileges  for  League  officers     .     62,  63 

Disputes  suitable  for  arbitration 66 

Domestic  questions 69 

Drummond,  Sir  G.  E.,  Secretary-General    .     .      81 

Economic  blockade 71 

Equality  in  trade  in  mandate  areas    ....  76 

Equitable  treatment  of  commerce  of  Members  79 

Eupen  and  Malmedy 12 

Extent  of  jurisdiction  of  League  Members  .     .  44 

Fifth  Committee  of  Assembly  : 

Interpretation  of  Article  X 38 

Report  on  admissions 38 

Finances  of  the  League 11 

87 


INDEX 

Foch,  Marshal  P 1 

France : 

Council  Member  under  Covenant  .     .     .     .  7,  59 

Covenant  Commission 3 

Original  Member  of  League 81 

Ratifies  treaty  with  Germany     .....  7 

Represented  at  first  Assembly 31 

Freedom  of  communications  and  transit      .     .  79 

Gas  in  warfare,  Armaments  Commission  on      16 

Germany : 

Armistice,  11  Nov.,  1918 1 

Protests  as  to  Eupen  and  Malmedy     ...       12 

Great  Britain : 

Council  Member  under  Covenant  .     .     .     .  7,  59 

Covenant  Commission 3 

Original  Member  of  League   ......      81 

Ratifies  treaty  with  Germany 7 

Represented  at  first  Assembly 31 

Greece : 

Council  Member  under  Covenant  .     .      7,  36,  60 

Original  Member  of  League 81 

Represented  at  first  Assembly 31 

Guatemala      . 31,  81 

Haiti 31,81 

Hedjaz 81 

Honduras 81 

Hymans,  P : 

Elected  President,  of  Assembly   ....     29,  30 
88 


INDEX 

Permanent  Court  plan 41,  49,  50 

Purpose  of  the  League 27,  28 

Eevision  of  Covenant 48 

Views  on  work  of  Assembly 46-53 

India 81 

Instrumentalities  of  the  League     ....      57-62 

International  army *     .     .     .       39 

International  Bureau  of  Universal  Postal  Union  62 
International  bureaux  to  be  under  League  10,  79,  80 
International  Financial  Conference     .     .    12,  15,  26 

International  Labor  Office 10 

Inviolability  of  League  property 63 

Italy : 

Council  Member  under  Covenant   .     .     .     .  7,  59 

Covenant  Commission 3 

Original  Member  of  League 81 

RatijBes  treaty  with  Germany 7 

Represented  at  first  Assembly 31 

Japan  : 

Council  Member  under  Covenant  .     .     .     .  7,  59 

Covenant  Commission 3 

Original  Member  of  League 81 

Ratifies  treaty  with  Germany 7 

Represented  at  first  Assembly 31 

Journal  of  the  Assembly 33,  34 

League  of  Nations  : 

Adoption  of  League  plan 4 

89 


INDEX 

Area  of  Member  states 44 

Austrian  independence  under 9,  10 

Cost  of  the  League 44,  45 

Covenant,  Text  of 57,  81 

Danzig  under  protection  of 10 

Early  organization 4 

International  bureaux 10 

Member  states 43 

Non-members 43,  44 

Original  Members 81 

Permanency  assured 24 

Population  of  Member  states 44 

Questions  referred  to  the  League  by  the 

Treaty  of  Peace 9,  10 

Saar  Basin 9 

Liberia 30,  81 

Lithuania-Poland  dispute      .....    13,  14,  39 

Mandates  : 

Central  Africa 76 

Former  Turkish  possessions 76 

Obligations  of  the  League  as  to  mandates      .  12 

Permanent  Commission 77 

Present  condition  of 41 

Purpose  of 75 

Responsibility  of  mandatory  power     ...  76 

South  Pacific  Islands 77 

South- West  Africa 77 

Military,  naval,  and  air  questions 64 

Military  training  forbidden  in  mandate  areas  76 

90 


INDEX 


Minorities,  protection  of 

Monopoly  of  raw  materials  .  .  .  . 
Monroe  Doctrine  remains  valid  .  . 
Motta,  G. : 

Desire  that  America  enter  League  . 

Honorary  President  of  Assembly     . 

Moral  force  great  power  of  League 

Nature  of  the  League  and  its  work 

Permanency  of  League  assured  .     . 

Views  at  close  of  Assembly  \     .     . 

Welcome  to  the  Assembly      .     .     . 


.      13 
13,26 

.      74 


Native  inhabitants  of  backward  areas 

Netherlands 

New  Zealand 

Nicaragua , 

Norway 


22,  23 
.  32 
.  25 
.  25 
24,  25 
53-55 
20-22 

.       78 

30,  81 

31,  81 
30,  81 
30,81 


Opium,  traffic  in 78 

Organization  of  Assembly 32,  33 

Original  Members  of  the  League    ...    57,  58,  81 


Panama 

Paraguay 

Peace  Conference : 

Adoption  of  Covenant 

Commission  to  plan  Covenant    .     .     .     . 

Resolution  on  League  of  Nations  .  .  . 
Permanent  Court  of  International  Justice : 

Adoption  of  Court  plan  by  Assembly  .     , 

Compulsory  competence 

91 


30,  81 
30,81 


4 
.  3,4 
.    2,3 

.       41 

42,  50 


INDEX 

Covenant  provisions 67 

Most  important  work  of  Assembly      .    42,  49,  50 

Open  to  non-members 42 

Plan  of  Committee  of  Jurists      .     .  .,  .     .     15,  16 
Secure  foundation  for  the  League    ....       16 

Permanent  Health  Organization 12 

Persia 30,  81 

Peru 30,  81 

Poland 30,  81 

Portugal : 

Covenant  Commission 3 

Original  Member  of  League 81 

Represented  at  first  Assembly 30 

President  of  the  United  States  of  America : 

Covenant  mention 18,  61 

Telegram  summoning  Assembly  ...  19,  20 
Prevention  and  control  of  disease  ....  79,  80 
Principal  Allied  and  Associated  Powers  ...    3,  7 

Prisoners,  repatriation  of 13 

Publicity  of  Assembly  work 33,  34 

Purpose  of  the  League 57 

Ratification  of  the  Treaty  of  Peace     .     .        7 
Reconsideration  of  treaties    .......      74 

Red  Cross 80 

Reduction  of  Armaments 39,  62 

Registration  of  treaties 40,  73 

Rumania 30,  81 

Saar  Basin 9 

Saar  Frontier  Commission 8 

92 


INDEX',,.A\i,Ji^  ' 

Salvador 31,  81 

Seat  of  the  League 62 

Secretariat : 

Activities 5,  6 

Appointments 11 

Covenant  provisions 61,  62,  79 

Expenses 62,  80 

Open  to  men  and  women  equally    ....       62 

Personnel 5 

Secretary-General : 

Appointment  under  Treaty 5,  80 

Authorization  by  Peace  Conference     ...        5 
To  be  appointed  by  Council  ......       62 

To  summon  Council  when  war  threatens      .       65 

Serb-Croat-Slovene  State 3,  31,  81 

Siam 31,  81 

Slave  trade  forbidden  in  mandate  areas  ...      76 

South  Africa 30,  81 

Spain 

Chosen  as  non-permanent  Council  Member  36,  37 
Council  Member  under  Covenant  ...       7,  60 

Invited  to  accede  to  Covenant 81 

Represented  at  first  Assembly 31 

States  Members  of  League 43 

States  not  Members  of  League 43-44 

Sweden 31,  81 

Switzerland 31,  81 

TiTTONI,  T 13 

Traffic,  prohibited 78 

93 


:•:,-..,.    ;...;;.-  ...INDEX 

Treaties : 

Abrogated  if  inconsistent  with  Covenant      .  74 

Of  arbitration,  remain  valid 74 

Recoiisideration  of 74 

Registration  of     . 40,73 

"Treaties  Series  Journal'' 40 

Treaty  of  Versailles : 

Contains  League  Covenant 5 

Ratification  of 7 

Turkey,  armistice,  30  Oct.,  1918 1 

Typhus  campaign  in  Poland 13 

Unanimity  required  in  Assembly  and  Council    61 

United  States : 

Coimcil  Member  under  Covenant   ...       7,  59 

Covenant  Commission 3 

Daily  expenditures  April,  1917-April,  1919      45 

Original  Member  of  League 81 

Treaties  with,  registered 40 

Uruguay 31,  81 

Venezuela 31, 81 

Violation  of  Covenant,  result 72 

Voting,  unanimity  required 61 

War: 

Concern  of  whole  League 65 

Offense  against  entire  League     ....      69-71 

Non-members  bound  by  League  rules      .     .       73 

War  material,  private  manufacture  of     .     .     63,  64 

Withdrawal  from  the  League 58 

Women  and  children,  trajEc  in 78 

94 


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